WO2002025530A1

WO2002025530A1 - Internet video advertising agency

Info

Publication number: WO2002025530A1
Application number: PCT/US2001/023123
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hansel La Farga
Original assignee: Farga Hansel
Priority date: 2000-09-20
Filing date: 2001-07-23
Publication date: 2002-03-28
Also published as: WO2002025530B1; AU2001280704A1

Abstract

An advertising agency for producing moving- image advertising and distributing it over a computer network such as the internet.

Description

Internet Video Advertising Agency

by Hansel LAFARGA

BACKGROUND

Technical Field My invention relates to advertising over a computer network and, more

particularly, to a system for providing moving- image advertising over a computer network such as the Internet.

The Internet and the World Wide Web, together with other interactive

devices, are used widely to share infonnation among different users. The full range of

possibilities for use of these interactive computer services have not yet been fully developed.

As the popularity of the Internet and the World Wide Web has increased in recent years,

more companies are trying to find ways of promoting their product in a compelling,

memorable manner. Thus, there has been a tremendous prohferation of still- image banner

advertising across the Internet. For example, some companies, such as Yahoo Corporation,

offer free services, such as the ability to search for particular sites on the Internet, but post

banner advertising messages to consumers to help offset the cost of their service.

Unfortunately, banner advertising is not always the most attention- grabbing or

memorable advertising vehicle. Similarly, banner advertising, because it consists only of still

images, may be partly inadequate to convey information - the working of a motor, for

example - which is best conveyed using moving images, rather than still images.

In contrast, the art teaches various methods for creating moving images, and

for converting these moving images to an Intemettransmittable format, it is difficult for a

potential advertiser to compile the various disparate tools and elements required to make Internet video advertising. There is no unified system for creating a moving- image, sound

mixed advertising presentation and posting it on to the Internet. This difficulty has made moving- image advertising exceedingly rare on the Internet, compared to banner advertising,

which has become ubiquitous on the Internet

Description of Related Art

The art teaches various means for posting still-image advertising to the

Internet. The art also teaches various systems for posting moving image data to the Internet.

The art is described more fully in applicant's Petition to Make Special incorporated by

reference here. What is needed is a system combining elements of each, to conveniently

provide moving image advertising on computer networks such as the Internet.

SUMMARY

I have found a way to combine elements of various prior art systems, to

create a new kind of system - a moving image advertising agency to provide moving image

advertising on computer networks such as the Internet. We have found a way to compile the various disparate tools and elements required to make Internet video advertising, to provide a

unified system for creating a moving- image, sound mixed advertising presentation and posting

it on to the Internet.

Thus, it is an objective of my invention to provide over a computer network,

advertising presentations including both a visual, moving image component and an auditory

component. That is to say, an objective of my invention is to provide moving image

advertising over a computer network such at the Internet.

It is an objective of my invention to direct such multi-media advertising to

specific computer users who fit specific, pre- determined demographic profiles. Many video advertismg presentations are best presented not to every single user of the Internet, but only to

users who meet certain demographic parameters relating to the user's age, sex, income level,

etc One can use my system in combination with a data structure of data pertaining to

internet user's demographic information.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

My system includes certain components, and is operated by using these

components in a certain way. Thus, we first will enumerate and describe each system

component. We then will describe the manner in which one uses my system.

System Components The elements of my system include a video production studio, an encoder, a

Multiplexer, video sfreaming technology, a web server, an advertising-presentation data

structure, a hub and a Router, a communications network (such as the internet), and a user's

computer. Optional features, such as cUck-through hyperlinks, may be added.

A Video Production Studio My system includes a video production studio. The studio includes audio,

video and mixing hardware. This hardware preferably includes a magnetic tape recorder, a

transducing microphone, audio amphfiers and loudspeakers, digital audio recorders, a

compact disk player and a magnetic cassette tape deck.

Audio Recording The studio includes audio recording hardware for recording audio data. Such

hardware at minimum includes both an audio input (such as a microphone) and audio data

storage (such as a magnetic tape recorder, or a computer with computer readable memory and audio recording software). A variety of machines have been devised to record and play back sound.

Among them are open-reel recorders, cassette players, and micro cassette players. Once

popular, the eight- track cartridge player has largely fallen out of use. One of the advantages

of these players is their ability to erase and reuse tapes without the loss of recording quality.

Practically any kiforrnation that can be converted to an electrical signal can be stored on a

magnetic tape with the help of a tape recorder.

In audio recording, a microphone converts sound vibrations to electrical

impulses that are amphfied and sent to the tape recorder's recording head. The recording head

is a type of electromagnet. At the same time, blank recording tape is pulled across the

recording head at a carefully controlled speed by a motor- driven capstan. Recording tape is a

thin plastic ribbon coated with microscopic pieces of any one of several magnetizable

powders. Patterns of electromagnetism in the recording head vary with the electrical impulses

produced in the microphone. As a result, corresponding magnetic patterns are produced in

the particle coating on the recording tape.

This process is reversed in playback. The recording tape bearing magnetic

patterns is mechanically pulled across the playback head, which is also an electromagnet. The

magnetic patterns stored on the tape produce corresponding electromagnetic patterns in the

head that are converted to an electric impulse. These electrical impulses are amphfied and sent

to a loudspeaker or headphone where the electric signals are converted to vibrations identical

in pattern to the originally recorded sounds (see Electricity).

The magnetic powder most widely used in making recording media- -audio

tapes, videotapes, and computer data storage tapes and disks— has been a type of iron oxide.

Other magnetic materials used in recent years include chromium dioxide, non-oxide iron, and a cobalt-absorbed ferric oxide particle. Each magnetic material offers shghtly different

advantages in the areas of frequency response at one or both ends of the sound spectrum,

signal-to-noise ratio, and useful recording tape life.

Modern recording tapes consist of a plastic-based film coated with one of the

magnetizable powders that is held in place by a binder. Mylar and other polyester plastics are

widely used as the tape base. This base is often back-coated with material designed to

elinώiate static electricity buildup. The binder is a type of glue that can be applied evenly to

the plastic base while bonding the magnetic particles to the base. The binder must hold the

magnetic particles apart from each other, yet remain flexible when dry. It must not stick to

itself when the finished tape is wound and stored.

Through an electromagnetic erase head, a recorded signal can be removed,

and the tape can be reused. If the recording tape breaks, it can be spliced and repaired. A

section of damaged recording tape can be physically cut out. If the remaining ends are sphced

together, the tape can still be used.

The rate at which the magnetic tape travels past the recording and playback

heads is controlled by the recorder's drive mechanism. The most common drive mechanism in

tape recorders is tlie capstan drive. In a capstan drive system, the magnetic tape is trapped

between a cylindrical piece of rubber called a pinch roller and a motor-driven cylinder called

the capstan. The rotational speed and diameter of the capstan determine the speed of the

tape.

Valdemar Poulsen, a Danish engineer, patented a magnetic wire recorder in

1898. The tape recorder was essentially developed into its modem form in Germany in the

1930s and 1940s. After World War U., experimenters in the United States quickly improved on the design and operation of German equipment. The tape recording of radio programs for

later broadcast began in the late 1940s. Beginning in the 1950s, reel-to-reel (also known as open-reel) stereo tape recorders became available for home use.

Other tape formats that operate at fixed, generally slower, speeds have also been developed. The cassette, essentially a miniature reel-to-reel mechanism in an enclosure,

was introduced in 1964. By tl e 1970s cassettes had become capable of high-fidehty andby the early 1980s the sales of music cassettes exceeded those of standard phonograph records.

For portable use, cassette players may be battery powered and contain built-in microphones.

Acceptable audio recording hardware includes, for example, a magnetic tape

recorder or even computer-readable memory. We prefer to use a compact disk writer.

Audio Editing

The video production studio also includes hardware or software for editing the stored audio data. The specific editor used may depend on the kind of data storage

employed. For example, data stored on a tape recorder may be edited by using a magnetic tape editing machine, while data stored on computer readable media may be edited using

computer audio -editing software. We prefer to use AUDIO SPLITTER™, FAST EDIT™, or WAV SPLITTER™. Other acceptable audio editing software includes, for example,

AIPL SINGULATOR™, ACID WAV™, ACIDBLOTTER™, ACIDIZER™, ACOUSTICA™, ANVIL STUDIO™, ARBORRHYTHMS™ MUSIC PROCESSOR,

ASM™ AUDIO, AUDIO CLEANUP™, AUDIO SUITE™, AUDIOSPLITTER™,

AUDIOTOOLS™, AUDIOTRACK™, AWAVE™ STUDIO, BEATME™,

BRAINWAVE GENERATOR™, CAKEWALK™ PRO AUDIO or PROFESSIONAL, COOL EDIT™, CUBASE™ VST, CUBIC STUDIO™, CUTE BREAKS™, DIGITAL ORCHESTRATOR™, DJPOWER™, EINSTEIN DIGITAL INTELLECT AUDIO

PROCESSOR™, EMULIVE™ PRODUCER, and others.

The studio includes audio playing capability. Acceptable audio payer

software includes SOUNDWAVE97™, SPECTRUM ANALYZER™ PROFESSIONAL,

SSEYO KOAN FILE PLAYER™, TENH WAVE™, THREEFIFTEEN MUSIC

SYSTEM™, ULTRAPLAYER™, WSPLAYER™ REVOLUTION, WAV BROWSER™, WAVE™ Cast OR Drop or JukeBox, WAVESURROUND™,

WAVETECT™, WHITE TIGER™, WILD TANGENT™ AUDIO, WINAMP™,

XING™ MP3 PLAYER, XVQF™, YAHOO™ PLAYER and YAMM™

Video Recording & Editing

The video production studio includes hardware for recording video data.

Such hardware at minimum includes both an video input (such as a video camera) and video data storage (such as a magnetic video-tape recorder, or a computer with computer readable

memory and digital-video recording software). We prefer to use a digital video camera and

QUICKTIME PRO™ 4 for Macintosh or Windows. Other acceptable hardware includes

an 8mm- or beta-format video camera, or a 16mm or 35mm film movie camera.

QUICKTIME™ is not a software apphcation, but an enabling technology; if it is installed on a

user's system, it enables many other programs to provide important multi-media features. It

enables other software to handle multi- media data (for example, audio, video and animation)

gracefully and simply. It allows media to be viewed, edited, combined, transformed, and

manipulated in whatever way the advertising production director sees fit. QUICKTIME™ is

described more fully in Ste n, J. and R. Lettieri, QuickTime Pro for Mackintosh & Windows,

(Peachpit Press 1999). The video production studio also includes hardware or software for editing

the stored video data; the specific video editor used may depend on the kind of data storage

employed. For example, data tored on a video-tape may be edited by using a magnetic

video-tape editing machine, while data stored as a digital video on computer readable media

may be edited using computer video- editing software. We prefer to use an ADOBE™

PREMIER video editor and Apple QUICKTIME™ software. Other acceptable hardware

includes a video-cassette recorder, a digital video disk, CD-ROM or the like. Acceptable

software includes, for example, T.A.G.™ EDITOR, THE VOICE™, TIME LAPSE

VIDEO™, TRUE TECH WEBCAM™, TZ-VIDEO MASTER™, ULEAD

VIDEOSTUDIO™, VIDEO CAPTURIX™, VIDEO INVESTIGATOR™,

VIDEOBLADE™, VIDEOFRAMER™, VIDEOMAJL™ STUDIO, VIRTUAL DUB™,

VSCOPE™, WEBMEDIA™, WINTLV™, XING™ MPEG ENCODER, ZWEI-

STEIN™ VIDEO EDITOR, MORE™, AXOGON™ COMPOSER, DR. JOHN'S™

MOVIEMAKER, SUMMERSOFT™ WEBCAM, V- ACTIVE™, VIDEO ANALYSIS™

ENGINE, VS4™, WEBCAST™ PERSONAL and WINDOWS™ MEDIA ON-

DEMAND PRODUCER™.

Audio-Video Mixing

The video production studio includes hardware for combining, or "mixing,"

the stored audio data with the stored video data, to create an audio -visual advertising

presentation. Studio liardware thus at iimum includes both audo data input and video data input (from the stored audio and video data) and mixed audio -video advertisement data

storage (such as a magnetic video-tape recorder, or a computer with computer readable memory and digital-video recording software). We prefer to use an ASUS GFORCE™ 256

32MB video card.

The video production studio also may includes hardware or software for

editing the stored audio -video advertising presentation; the specific audio -visual editor used

may depend on the kind of data storage employed. For example, an audio-visual advertising

presentation stored on a video-tape may be edited by using a magnetic video-tape editing

machine, while an audio- visual advertising presentation stored as a digital sound video on

computer readable media may be edited using computer video -editing software. We prefer

to use computer readable media. Acceptable editing software includes JET AUDIO™,

JUKE™, K-JOFOL™, KOMOREBI™, LAVA!™, LCARS™ MEDIA PLAYER,

MAGIX™ DANCE MAKER, MAIN VISION™, MEDIA PALETTE™, MEDIA

STUDIO PRO™, MICROSOFT WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER™, MIDAS™ DIGITAL

AUDIO SYSTEM, MIDI GENIE™, MIDI MADE MUSIC JUKEBOX™, DIKAL™,

MIDWAVI™, MIMIC™, MINIMEDIA™, MM™, MULTIMEDIA BUILDER™,

MUSEQ™; PLAYTIME VIRTUAL STUDIO™, REAL ENTERTAINMENT

CENTER™, ROSOFT™ MEDIA PLAYER and SCAMPS™. Information on these and

other video editors can be found at www.davecentral .com/ videdithtml; www.mediabuilder

.com/softwarevideo edithtml.

An Encoder Once the multi- media advertising presentation is created and mixed, it must be

"encoded" to be distributable over the internet. The multi- media advertising presentation can

be encoded using various methods known in the art. For this step, we prefer to use Adobe

PREMIER™ and Apple QUCIKTIME™ and an ASUS GEFORCE™ 256 video card, REALMEDIA™ PLAYER, commercially available from realnetworks.com, and

WQSΓPLAY™ 3, commercially available from Fraunhofer IIS. MP3 encoders include MP3

PRODUCER™, AUDIO CATALYST™, CDH™ MEDIA WIZARD, ELECTRONIC

COSMOS™ MPEG SUITE, MPEG DJ ENCODER™, MUSIC MATCH™ JUKEBOX

and XING™ MP3 ENCODER.

While we do not prefer it, the advertising presentation could theoretically be

recorded directly from performance in the studio, to an encoded computer-readable file.

While we do not prefer this technology for making scripted advertising presentations, this

technology has been used to make unedited, "hve performance" type broadcasts. For

example, REAL PRODUCER(R) v.7.0x can encode a performance using hve encoding or

hve broadcasting. Live encoding occurs when encoding is from the hve source to a static file;

the inputs into the sound card and video capture device can be a microphone, compact disc,

tape recorder or other media device such as a camera, digital video disc or laserdisc. Live

broadcasting occurs when encoding is from a hve source and the encoded stream is being

broadcast over the internet live at the time of encoding. A REAL SERVER(TM) is required

for live broadcasting with REAL PRODUCER(R).

The video data can be encoded into a number of different file formats.

Currently available formats include MPEG, AIFF and WAV files. Examples of currently-

available encoder software include REAL AUDIO(TM , REAL VTDE0(TM), and REAL

NETWORKS G2(TM), each commercially available from Real Software Inc., Cambridge,

Massachusetts; WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER(R), commercially available from Microsoft

Corp., Redmond, Washington; MPEG(R) and MPEG-2(R), commercially available from realnetworks.com; LAYER 3 AUDIO(TM), commercially available from Frauenhofer US;

and LIQUID AUDIO(TM), commercially available from hquidaudio.com.

A Multiplexer'

A Multiplexer is a device that is used to consolidate multiple channels of data

into a single channel of data. There are two basic types of multiplexers - time division

multiplexers, and frequency multiplexers. Time division multiplexers take advantage of the fact

that most peripheral devices spend most of their time waiting. Multiplexers using the time

division method divide time into discreet units, assigning each unit to a specific time segment,

thereby allowing several devices to share the same communication channel. Frequency

multiplexers broadcast different analog frequencies across one channel; each frequency is

used to carry information for a specific peripheral device, thereby allowing each device to

share the same communication channel.

Multiplexing is sending lrultiple signal or streams of information on a carrier at

the same time in the form of a single, complex signal and then recovering the separate signals

at the receiving end. analog signals are commonly multiplexed using frequency division

multiplexing, in which the carrier bandwidth is divided into sub- channels of different frequency

widths, each carrying a signal at the same time in parallel. Digital signals are commonly

multiplexed using time- division multiplexing, in which tl e multiple signals are carried over the

same channel in alternating time slots, hi some optical fiber networks, multiple signals are

carried together as separate wavelengths of light in a multiplexed signal using dense

wavelength-division multiplexing (dense wavelength division multiplexing). Video Streaming Technology

Sfreaming video is a sequence of moving images that are sent in compressed

form over the internet and displayed by the viewer's computer as each sequence arrives.

Sfreaming media is steaming video with sound. With sfreaming video or streaming media, an internet user does not have to wait to download a large file before seeing the video or hearing

tlie sound. Instead, the media is sent in a continuous stream and is played as it arrives. The

internet user needs a "player" program, software that decompresses each sequence and

sends the uncompressed data to the display and audio data to the speakers. Player software

can be incorporated as an integral part of the browse, or downloaded from a particular player

software maker's web site. We prefer to use Apple computer hardware and

QUICKTIME™ PLAYER (also called MOVIEPLAYER™) software, commercially

available from Apple Computer Corporation, Cupertino, California. QUICKTIME™ PLAYER was written by the creators of QUICKTIME™ PRO, and has evolved into a

powerful tool for playing, editing, and preparing movies for distribution. A lot of its

functionahty is not immediately obvious, but is explained fully in Stem & Lettieri, supra. Other

acceptable software includes, for example, A2B™ MUSIC PLAYER, ANALOGX

SIMPLESERVER™, AUDIOACTIVE™ PLAYER, AUDIOSWITCHER™,

BEATNIK™ PLAYER, CINEVIDEO™ DIRECT, CRESCENDO!™, CRISP™,

DESTINY™ MEDIA PLAYER, DFX™ Real or Winamp, DIGIBAND™ RADIO,

DISCMAID™, DWYCO095™, E-Z RAM™, EARTHTUNER™, EASY CAST™

ASSISTANT, ELECTRTFIER NETWORK™, EMULIVE™ Producer or Theater, and

others. Streaming video is usually sent from pre-recorded video files, but can be ^'

distributed as part of a hve broadcast feed. In a hve broadcast, the video signal is converted into a compressed digital signal and transmitted from a special web server that is able to do

multi- tasking, sending the same file to multiple users at the same time.

Sfreaming video is sent using hypertext transfer protocol. Hypertext Transfer

Protocol ('HTTP") is the standard World Wide Web client- server protocol used for the

exchange of information (such as HTML documents, and client requests for such documents)

between a web browse and a web server. HTTP includes a number of different types of

messages which can be sent from the client to the server to request different types of server

actions. For example, a "GET" message has the format "GET<URL>" and causes the server

to return the document or file located at the specified Uniform (or Universal) Resource

Locator ("URL") location.

A Uniform (or Universal) Resource Locator ("URL") location is a unique

address which fully specifies the location of a file or other resource on the Internet. The

general format of a URL is protocol: //machine address: port/path/file name. The port

specification is optional, and if none is entered by the user, the web browse defaults to the

standard port for whatever service is specified as the protocol. For example, if HTTP is

specified as the protocol, the web browse will use the HTTP default port.

The technology useable by my system includes "web casting" and "hve

video." Web casting is using the internet to deliver hve or delayed versions of sound or video

broadcast, delayed or preview versions of movies, music videos or regular radio and

television broadcasts as a way to promote the television broadcasts. We disfavor hve broadcast technology, however, as it is usually not generally operable to create scripted,

professional- quality advertising presentations.

Multiplexing

Multicasting allows the deployment of multi- media apphcations on a network

while minimizing their demand for bandwidth. This section describes how multicasting works,

and what's required to deploy multicasting on a network.

As personal computers have increased in power, that power has turned to

rurining multimedia apphcations on the desktop. Now multimedia apphcations are being

designed for use on the network. Apphcations such as audio and video conferencing, and the

transmission of hve or recorded events using audio and video are only two of the many

apphcations that blend multimedia and networks.

Today's networks are designed to reliably transmit data such as files from

point to point. Multimedia places further demands on the network. First, data such as audio

cannot tolerate delays in delivery. A network whose basic task is to move files from one place

to another can transmit data packets at an uneven rate. If portions of a file arrive slowly or out

of order, that is not a problem. Multimedia requires that data packets arrive at the chent on

time and in the proper order. Reattime protocols and quality- of-service guarantees on the

network address this issue.

Second, multimedia requires frarismitting large amounts of data over the

network, and thus uses more of the network's bandwidth than basic network operations such

as file transfer. Multicasting, the subject of this paper, addresses this issue.

The bulk of the traffic on today's networks is unicast: A separate copy of the

data is sent from the source to each client that requests it. Networks also support broadcasting. When data is broadcast, a single copy of the data is sent to all clients on the

network. When the same data needs to be sent to only a portion of the clents on the

network, both of these methods waste network bandwidth. Unicast wastes bandwidth by

sending multiple copies of the data. Broadcast wastes bandwidth by sending the data to the

whole network whether or not the data is wanted. Broadcasting can also needlessly slow the

performance of chent machines. Each chent must process the broadcast data whether or not

the broadcast is of interest.

Multicasting talc es the strengths of both of these approaches and avoids their

weaknesses. Multicasting snds a single copy of the data to those clients who request it.

Multiple copies of data are not sent across the network, nor is data sent to clients who do not want it. Multicasting allows the deployment of multimedia apphcations on the network while

mixjimizing their demand for bandwidth. The following graph compares the network load per

chent when unicasting an 8-Kbps PCM audio stream and multicasting the stream and shows

how a multicast saves bandwidth.

Today, the most widely known and used multicast enabled network is the

Internet Multicast Backbone, the MBone. The MBone is a virtual network consisting of those

portions of the Internet, sometimes called multicast islands, on which multicasting has been

enabled. Multicasts that must travel across areas of the Internet that are not yet multicast-

enabled are sent as unicasts until they reach the next multicast enabled island. This process is

referred to in the art as "tunneling."

The MBone has been in place since 1992 and has grown to more than 2000

sub -nets. It has been used to multicast hve audio and video showing Internet Engineering

Task Force conferences, NASA astronauts working in space, and the Rolling Stones in concert. The MBone lias successfully demonstrated the practicality and utility of using

multicasting to send multimedia across the network.

The hardware for multicasting, chiefly multicast enabled routers and their

software, has reached a point where corporations can take advantage of multicasting on their

own LANs and WANs. The technology is of benefit in any scenario where several (or

hundreds or thousands) of individuals need the same information. Because such information can be multicast Kve, multicasting is the ideal method to communicate up-to-date information

to a wide audience. For example, sales trends for the week could be presented to all regional

sales managers by means of multicast. Events such as a product introduction or an important

press conference could also be multicast. Multicasts can also support bi-directional

communication, allowing, for example, individuals in widely dispersed locations to set up a hve

conference that includes audio, video, and a white board.

Multicasting follows a push model of communications. That is, like a radio or

television broadcast, those who want to receive a multicast tune their sets to the station they

want to receive. In the case of multicasting, the user is simply instructing the computer's

network card to listen to a particular IP address for the multicast. The computer originating

the multicast does not need to know who has decided to receive it.

Multicasting requires the following mechanisms:

1. Clients must have a way to learn when a multicast of interest is available.

2. Clients must have a way to signa 1 that they want to receive the multicast.

3. The network must have a way to efficiently route data to those chents who want to

receive it. Multicasts are announced in advance so that clients know when a multicast is available. On

the MBone, Multicasts are typically announced using the Session Description Protocol (SDP).

This protocol supphes ^'clients with ah the information they need to receive a multicast including

its name and description, the times it is active, the type of media (audio, video, text and so on)

that it uses, and the IP addresses, ports, and protocol it uses. The announcement information

is multicast to a well-known address and port where clients rumώig tlie session directory

tool receive this information.

In addition to SDP, there are other ways that Multicasts can be announced.

For example, on a corporate intranet, Multicasts can be advertised using Web pages.

Controls embedded in the Web page can then receive the multicast data. To signal that they

want to receive a multicast, chents join the group to which the multicast is directed. The

Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) handles this task.

Multicast groups provide several advantages. Groups are dynamic: chents can

join or leave at any time. No elaborate scheme is required to create or disband a group.

When a group has no members, it ceases to exist on the network. Groups also scale upward

easily because as more chents join a multicast, it becomes more likely that the multicast is

already being routed close to them.

When a client joins a group, it initiates two processes: First, an IGMP

message is sent to the chent's local Router to inform the Router that the chent wants to receive

data sent to the group. Second, the client sets its IP process and network card to receive the

multicast on the group's address and port. Multicast addresses are Class D IP addresses

ranging from 224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255. Class D IP addresses map automatically to

IEEE- 802 Ethernet multicast addresses, which simplifies the implementation of IP multicasting on Ethernet. When a chent leaves a group and is the only one receiving the multicast on that

particular sub -network, the Router stops sending data to the client's sub-network, thereby freeing bandwidth on that portion of the network.

The bulk of the work that needs to be done to enable multicasting is performed by the network's routers and the protocols they run. Two years ago major Router

manufacturers began adding multicasting capability to their routers. Multic asting can be

enabled on such routers by simply updating their software and adding memory.

There are several multicast routing protocols in use today: Distance Vector

Multicast Routing Protocol (DVMRP), Multicast Open Shortest Path First Protocol

(MOSPF), and Protocol- Independent Multicast (PIM). The task of these protocols is to

create efficient multicast delivery paths through the network. Multicast routing protocols use

varying algorithms to achieve efficiency.

An efficient delivery path implies that multicast data travels only to those

chents who want to receive it and takes the shortest path to those clients. If data travels

elsewhere through the network, bandwidth goes to waste needlessly. You can visualize the

network as a free structure. The source of the multicast sends data through the branches of

the free. The routers are responsible for sending data down the correct branches to other

routers and to the sub- networks where members of a group are waiting for data. Routers

prune off branches where no one wants data and graft branches back to the free when a chent

in a new sub- network joins the group. Routers can also stop data from traveling to their own

sub -networks when it is not wanted. A new generation of multimedia apphcations that provide enhanced

communication through the use of audio and video are ready to move onto the network. Multicasting provides an efficient way to enable these apphcations on the network:

1. Multicasting can dramatically reduce the network bandwidth that multimedia

applications require.

2. Servers do not require hardware upgrades in order to take advantage of multicasting.

3. Chents do not require hardware upgrades in order to take advantage of multicasting.

4. Because routers of recent vintage already support multicasting, enabling multicasting

on a network is practical and cost-effective.

A Web server

My system includes a web server that includes a central processing unit

(commonly called a "CPU") and computer readable memory. The computer readable

memory includes a data structure for storing the encoded audio -video advertising

presentations as computer-readable data.

Advertising Presentation Data Structure

My system includes an Advertising Presentation Data Structure. The

Advertising Presentation Data Structure includes computer readable memory useable to store

the finished multi-media advertising presentations. The Advertising Presentation Data

Structure also includes software for retrieving data representing a finished multi-media

advertis ing presentation from the computer readable memory, and transferring the data to the

hub- Router complex. A Hub

Hubs are sometimes referred to as "repeaters." Hubs allow attached

network devices to communicate with each other, sharing information and resources. The

connections to hubs are often referred to as shared media connections, because the total

available bandwidth is shared among all connected users. This differs from a switch which,

although more expensive, gives each attached network device its own dedicated amount of

bandwidth. A hub is used to connect several computers together. In a message handling

service, a number of local computers might exchange messages solely with a hub computer.

The hub would be responsible for exchanging messages with other hubs and non-local

computers. Acceptable hub hardware is commercially available from 3Com, Cisco Systems,

Nortel Networks Corporation, Accton, Acer (America) Corporation, Addtron, D-Link

Corporation, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Kingston, Lancast Corporation, Linksys Corporation,

Lucent Technologies, Microtest Corporation, Netgear, Network Instruments, New Media,

Netopia and Ramp Networks Corporation. The hub may comprise a domain name system server, as is known in the art.

Domain name system server is a TCP/IP service that is called upon to translate domain names

to and from Internet Protocol addresses. The hubs connect to one or more routers via high

speed communication links.

A Router Routers move information packets between network levels within a network,

and then move information packets from network to network, until the packet reaches the

neighborhood of its destination. From the destination, the destination network's host directs

the information packet to the appropriate terminal, or node. For a more detailed description of the structure and operation of routers and hubs, see generally Hahn, H. and R. Stout, The

Internet Complete Reference (McGraw-Hill Pub. 1994).

A Router includes software or hardware that enables commurncation between

computer networks that use different communications protocols. Acceptable routers are

commercially available from, for example, 3Com, Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Addtron Inc.,

Adtran Corporation, Allied Telesysn, Kentrox, Panamax, Paradyne, Kingston, Cabletron

Systems and Chase Research Corporation.

Computers exchange data over the internet using a standard internet protocol

or set of protocols such as Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol ("TCP/IP").

TCP/IP handles such issues as packetization, packet addressing, hand -shaking and error

correction. For more mformation on TCP/IP, see generally Comer and Stevens, I- HI

Internetworking With TCP/IP (Prentice Hall Inc. Pub.).

The Internet

My system requires distributing the finished multi-media advertising

presentations over a distributed computer network such as the Internet. The Internet as any

coUection of interconnected (public and/or private) networks that are linked together by a set

of standard protocols to form a distributed network. While this term is intended to refer to

what is now commonly called the "internet," we use the term to also encompass variations

which may be made in the future, including changes and additions to existing standard

protocols.

One part of the Internet, the "world- wide web," may be used for this. The

world wide web contains computers which display graphical and textual information. The

term "world wide web" is used here to refer generally to both (1) a distributed coUection of inter- linked, user viewable hypertext documents (commonly refereed to as "web documents"

or electronic pages" or "web pages") that are accessible via the Internet, and (2) the chent and

server software components which provide user access to such documents using standard

Internet protocols. Currently, tlie standard protocol for aUowing apphcations to locate and

acquire web pages is the HTTP and the electronic pages are encoded using HTML. We use,

however, the terms "web" and "world wide web" to encompass future markup languages and

transport protocols which may be used in place of or in addition to the Hypertext Markup

Language and the Hypertext Transfer Protocol.

Computers which provide information on the world wide web are typicaUy

called web site servers or "websites." A web site is defined by an internet address which has

an associated elecfronic page, often called a "home page." Generally, a home page is an

electronic document which organizes the presentation of text, graphical images, audio and

video into a desired display. These web sites are operated by a wide variety of entities, which

are typicaUy caUed "content providers."

Information exchanges over the Internet is typicaUy encoded in Hypertext

Markup Language ("HTML") format. The HTML format is a scripting language which is used

to generate the home pages for different content providers. HTML is a standard coding

convention and set of codes for attaching presentation and linking attributes to informational

content within documents. During a document authoring stage, the HTML codes (referred to

as "tags") are embedded within the infoπnational content of the document. When the web document (or "HTML document") is subsequently transferred from a web server to a web

browse, the codes are interpreted by the web browse and used to parse and display the

document. In addition to specifying how the web browse is to display the document, HTML tags can be used to create links to other web sites and other web documents (commonly

referred to as "hyper-links"). For more information on HTML, see generally Graham, LA.,

The HTML Source Book (John Wiley & Sons Pub. 1995).

In this setting, a content provider is an individual or company that places

information (content) on the Intemet so that it can be accessed by others. As is weU known in

the art, the HTML format is a set of conventions for marking different portions of a document

so that each portion appears in a distinctive format. For example, the HTML format

identifies, or "tags," portions of a document to identify different categories of text (e.g., the

title, header, body text, etc.). When a web browse accesses a HTML document, the web

browse reads the embedded tags in the document so the document appears formatted in the

specified manner.

An HTML document can also include hyper- links which allow a user to move from one document to another document on the Internet. A hyper- link ins an underlined or

otherwise emphasized portion of text which, when selected using an input device such as a

mouse, activates a software connection module which aUows the user to jump between

documents (i.e., within the same web site or to other web sites). Hyperlinks are known in the

art, and are sometimes referred to as "anchors."

Alternatively, one or more private computer wide area network(s) may be

used. The network may connect the computers using POTS ("plain old telephone service")

telephone land lines, cable television lines, or dedicated land lines such as TI lines. Land lines

are not necessary; the computer network may be composed in whole or in part by using radio

magnetic wave broadcasting, such as is seen in broadcast radio, broadcast television, and

ceUular telephony networks. The precise nature of the computer network is not important to the functioning of my system, provided that the network provides sufficient band- width, or

information carrying capacity, to convey the multi- media advertising presentations we

contemplate.

A User's Computer An Intemet user may access the Internet using a home personal computer

equipped with a conventional modem. Special interface software is installed wilhin the computer so that when tlie user wishes to access the Internet, an attached modem is

automaticaUy instructed to dial the telephone number associated with the local internet host

server. The user can then access information at any address accessible over the Internet.

Two well known interfaces, for example, are the NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR™

commerciaUy available from Netscape Communications Corp., and the MICROSOFT

INTERNET EXPLORER™, commerciaUy available from Microsoft Corporation, Redmond,

Washington.

Click-Through Hyperlinks hi the advertising industry, potential consumers are said to gain "impressions"

of an advertisement each time they see the advertisement. To understand whether a particular

multi-media advertisement is effective as generating sales inquiries or further investigation of

the product being advertised, it can be valuable to know not only how many people were

exposed to an impression of an advertisement, but also to know how many subsequent

mquiries or product sales resulted from that impression.

Thus, one can use my system, and add on a chck-through advertising

hyperlink for consumers to obtain further product information. When a user clicks on the

hyperlink, the hyperlink connects the user to another web site, possibly the home page for the advertiser. By clicking on the hyperlink, the user signals that they have not only received an

"impression" of the ad, but have Esponded to it by sohciting further product information.

These "click- through" hyperlinks can be measured and correlated with their attendant video

advertising presentation, to assess the advertising effectiveness of the presentation.

System Operation Method

To practice my invention, one uses the aforementioned elements to execute a

definite series of steps. These. steps entaU video production, video post-production, encoding

the finished multi-media presentation, transmitting the finished multi- media presentation to an

advertiser, and posting the presentation to tlie Intemet. We now discuss each step in detail, in

turn.

Video Production

The step of video production starts with scripting an advertising presentation.

This may include composing storyboards, writing and revising dialog and action sequences,

and budgeting the physical production.

After scripting is completed, the video advertising production is physicaUy

produced. This entaUs generaUy manufacturing or recording the audio tracks, the video

tracks, and the effects tracks (including titles and credits). Production usuaUy requires

retaining actors and using the aforementioned video production hardware to record the actors

performing the aforementioned pre- scripted action sequence.

Video Post-Production

The step of video Post-Production starts with mixing the produced audio,

video and effects tracks to create a finished multi-media advertising presentation. Once

finished, this presentation is encoded, using the above- discussed computer hardware. The encoded advertising production is stored on a web server and thus made available over the

internet.

Summary

While we have discussed in detaU my preferred version, or embodiment, of

my invention, we intend the legal coverage of my patent to be defined not by any one

particular embodiment discussed here, but rather by the legal claims appended here, and the

legal equivalents of these claims. In the claims, we use the term "video" to include magnetic-

media videotape, as weU as other technology (e^., photographic movie film, elecfronic RAM)

for recording visual events. We use the term "communicable" to indicate two elements either

in actual communication with each other, or potentially in communication with each other (for

example, a server "communicable" requires that the server either be actuaUy connected with

the network, or to be potentiaUy communication with Hie network, by, for example, logging on

to the network).

Claims

Claims I claim:

1. A method for providing multi-media advertising on a computing network, the method comprising performing the foUowing steps: a. Offering to a potential customer multi- edia advertising presentation production services, b . Recording an audio portion on an audio recording apparatus, c . Recording a visual portion on a video recording apparatus, d. Mixing said audio portion and said visual portion to make a multi-media advertising presentation, e. Adding special effects and titles to said multi- media advertising presentation, f. Encoding said multi-media advertising presentation, g. Storing said encoded multi-media advertising presentation on computer readable memory accessible by a server computer, h. Connecting said server computer accessing said computer readable memory storing said encoded multi-media advertising presentation, to a computer network, whereby said encoded multi- media advertising presentation can be accessed by a user of said computer network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising dehvering said encoded multi-media advertising presentatio n to said potential customer.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring the viewing on said computer network of said multi- media advertising presentation.

4. A system for providing multi-media advertising on a computing network, the system comprising: a. audio recording apparatus, b. audio editing apparatus, c. video recording apparatus, d. video editing apparatus, e. audio -video recording apparatus, f. audio -video editing apparatus, g. An encoder communicable with said audio-video recording apparatus; h. Computer readable memory communicable with said encoder, said computer readable memory defining a data structure able to store an encoded multimedia advertising presentation; i. A multiplexer communicable with said computer readable memory; j. A video sfreaming apparatus communicable with said multiplexer, said video sfreaming apparatus able to stream said multi- media advertising presentation; k. A hub communicable with said video streaming apparatus;

1. A router communicable with said hub; m A web server computer communicable with said router; and n. A computer network communicable with said web server computer, whereby said multi-media advertising presentation can be distributed or published onto said computer network.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising dehvering said encoded multi- media advertising presentation to said potential customer.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising measuring the viewing on said computer network of said multi- media advertising presentation.