Content distribution system and method

Abstract

Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention provide an electronic marketplace that matches units of content from secondary content providers with suitable vacancies from primary content providers. Vacancies may constitute, or be included in, any digital transmission containers, such as a television or radio programming, web pages, and the like. Specifically, the electronic marketplace automatically matches content offered by secondary content providers with vacancies offered by primary content providers thus filling the vacancies in these containers through a real-time content trading, placement, and distribution system. To do so, attributes associated with the vacancies and with units of secondary content are used to trade and match suitable vacancies with suitable content. This invention enables both secondary content owners and vacancy owners (primary content providers) to obtain the full commercial benefit of their secondary content and containers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for targeting digital video advertisements to consumers, the system comprising:
 at least one server comprising a first network connector, wherein the at least one server is connected to at least one consumer device over a network and is configured to transmit a digital video program, having at least one vacancy, to the at least one consumer device through the first network connector and over the network;   at least one consumer device comprising:
 at least one second network connector, wherein the at least one consumer device is configured to receive, through the at least one second network connector, the digital video program and the digital video advertisements from the at least one server, wherein at least one of the digital video advertisements is selected for transmission to the at least one consumer device based on comparing targeted criteria to at least one attribute of the at least one of the digital video advertisements; and 
 at least one processor configured to insert the selected at least one of the digital video advertisements into the at least one vacancy of the digital video program. 
   
     
     
         2 . A system for targeting digital video advertisements to consumers, the system comprising:
 at least one first server comprising a first network connector, wherein the at least one server is connected to at least one consumer device over a network and is configured to transmit a digital video program, having at least one vacancy, to the at least one consumer device through the first network connector and over the network;   at least one consumer device comprising:
 a second and third network connector, wherein the at least one consumer device is configured to receive (1) the digital video program from the at least one first server through the second connector and (2) digital video advertisements from a second server through the third connector, wherein at least one digital video advertisement is selected for transmission to the at least one consumer device based on comparing targeted criteria to at least one attribute of the at least one digital video advertisement; and 
 at least one processor configured to insert the selected at least one digital video advertisement into the at least one vacancy of the digital video program. 
   
     
     
         3 . A system for providing secondary content for inclusion in video content, the system comprising:
 a consumer device comprising:
 at least one network connector for receiving secondary content selected based on targeted criteria and for receiving (a) video content having at least one vacancy, and (b) information relating to the video content, wherein the information relating to the video content includes one or more attributes associated with the at least one vacancy; 
 at least one storage device for storing the secondary content and information relating to the secondary content, wherein the information relating to the secondary content includes one or more attributes; and 
 at least one processor for inserting the secondary content to fill the at least one vacancy of the video content, wherein the insertion is based on matching the one or more attributes associated with the at least one vacancy with the one or more attributes of the information relating to the secondary content; and 
   at least one server interface for transferring the video content to the consumer device;   wherein the consumer device outputs the secondary content within the at least one vacancy of the video content.