# US 2008/0189178 A1 · System and method for an adaptive scheduling system architecture > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0189178 A1 - Document ID: US20080189178A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/701,423 - Filed: 2007-02-02 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2007-02-02 - Assignees: Andrew Corporation - Inventors: Trisha Schepers; Stephen Falk - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080189178A1 ## CPC - G06Q 30/0264: {based upon schedule} - G06Q 30/02: Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising - G06Q 30/0273: Determination of fees for advertising - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of scheduling, comprising: (a) providing an ordered list of advertising spots (“spots”) to be scheduled wherein each spot has an associated scheduling factor; (b) selecting a first one of said spots; (c) providing plural commercial break locations (“breaks”) for one or more networks; (d) determining a first cost for each of said breaks as a function of a predetermined algorithm wherein said algorithm determines said first cost as a function of a predetermined fixed parameter, and wherein said fixed parameter is user defined; and (e) assigning said first spot to one of said breaks (“first break”) which has a lowest first cost. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the assigning of said first spot is replaced with: (e) assigning said first spot to one of said breaks which has a first cost less than a first predetermined amount. ### Claim 3 (canceled) ### Claim 4 (canceled) ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 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. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: (f) removing said first spot from said ordered list of spots. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 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. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: (f) selecting a second one of said spots; (g) determining a second cost for each unassigned break as a function of said first cost and as a function of a predetermined relative parameter; and (h) assigning said second spot to one of said unassigned breaks (“second break”) which has a lowest second cost. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the assigning of said second spot is replaced with: (h) assigning said second spot to one of said unassigned breaks which has a second cost less than a second predetermined amount. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the assigning of said second spot is replaced with: (h) determining that no unassigned breaks have a second cost less than a second predetermined amount thereby preventing said second spot from being assigned to one of said unassigned breaks; (i) determining that said second spot has a ranking greater than a ranking for said first spot; (j) bumping said first spot from said first break; and (k) assigning said second spot to said first break. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the assigning of said second spot is replaced with: (h) determining that no unassigned breaks have a second cost less than a second predetermined amount thereby preventing said second spot from being assigned to one of said unassigned breaks; (i) determining that said second spot has a ranking less than a ranking for said first spot; and (j) placing said second spot on an exceptions list and removing said second spot from said ordered list of spots. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 further comprising: (k) assigning said second spot to any one of said unassigned breaks. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 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. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising: (i) assigning ad copy to each of said first and second spots. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein said first spot is associated with a first client and said second spot is associated with a second client. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein said first and second spots are the same. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein said first and second spot are associated with a same contract line. ### Claim 19 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein said fixed parameter and said relative parameter are each user defined. ### Claim 20 A computer program having computer-readable code including program instructions for scheduling an advertising spot, the program comprising program instructions for: (a) providing an ordered list of advertising spots (“spots”) to be scheduled wherein each spot has an associated scheduling factor; (b) selecting a first one of said spots; (c) providing plural commercial break locations (“breaks”) for one or more networks; (d) determining a first cost for each of said breaks as a function of a predetermined algorithm wherein said algorithm determines said first cost as a function of a predetermined fixed parameter, and wherein said fixed parameter is user defined; and (e) assigning said first spot to one of said breaks (“first break”) which has a lowest first cost. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The computer program of claim 20 wherein the assigning of said first spot is replaced with: (e) assigning said first spot to one of said breaks which has a first cost less than a first predetermined amount. ### Claim 22 (canceled) ### Claim 23 (canceled) ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The computer program of claim 20 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. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The computer program of claim 24 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. ### Claim 26 (depends on 20) The computer program of claim 20 further comprising: (f) removing said first spot from said ordered list of spots. ### Claim 27 (depends on 20) The computer program of claim 20 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. ### Claim 28 (depends on 20) The computer program of claim 20 further comprising program instructions for: (f) selecting a second one of said spots; (g) determining a second cost for each unassigned break as a function of said first cost and as a function of a predetermined relative parameter; and (h) assigning said second spot to one of said unassigned breaks (“second break”) which has a lowest second cost. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The computer program of claim 28 wherein the assigning of said second spot is replaced with: (h) assigning said second spot to one of said unassigned breaks which has a second cost less than a second predetermined amount. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The computer program of claim 28 wherein the assigning of said second spot is replaced with: (h) determining that no unassigned breaks have a second cost less than a second predetermined amount thereby preventing said second spot from being assigned to one of said unassigned breaks; (i) determining that said second spot has a ranking greater than a ranking for said first spot; (j) bumping said first spot from said first break; and (k) assigning said second spot to said first break. ### Claim 31 (depends on 28) The computer program of claim 28 wherein the assigning of said second spot is replaced with: (h) determining that no unassigned breaks have a second cost less than a second predetermined amount thereby preventing said second spot from being assigned to one of said unassigned breaks; (i) determining that said second spot has a ranking less than a ranking for said first spot; and (j) placing said second spot on an exceptions list and removing said second spot from said ordered list of spots. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The computer program of claim 31 further comprising program instructions for: (k) assigning said second spot to any one of said unassigned breaks. ### Claim 33 (depends on 28) The computer program of claim 28 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. ### Claim 34 (depends on 28) The computer program of claim 28 further comprising program instructions for: (i) assigning ad copy to each of said first and second spots. ### Claim 35 (depends on 28) The computer program of claim 28 wherein said first spot is associated with a first client and said second spot is associated with a second client. ### Claim 36 (depends on 28) The computer program of claim 28 wherein said first and second spots are the same. ### Claim 37 (depends on 28) The computer program of claim 28 wherein said first and second spot are associated with a same contract line. ### Claim 38 (depends on 28) The computer program of claim 28 wherein said fixed parameter and said relative parameter are each user defined. ### Claim 39 A system for scheduling, comprising: a database comprising: an ordered list of advertising spots (“spots”) to be scheduled wherein each spot has an associated scheduling factor, and a plurality of commercial break locations (“breaks”) for one or more networks; and a microprocessor operatively connected to said database, said microprocessor comprising: circuitry for selecting a first one of said spots; circuitry for determining a first cost for each of said breaks as a function of a predetermined algorithm wherein said algorithm determines said first cost as a function of a predetermined fixed parameter, and wherein said fixed parameter is user defined; and circuitry for assigning said first spot to one of said breaks (“first break”) which has a lowest first cost. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The system of claim 39 wherein said circuitry for assigning assigns said first spot to one of said breaks which has a first cost less than a first predetermined amount. ### Claim 41 (canceled) ### Claim 42 (canceled) ### Claim 43 (depends on 39) The system of claim 39 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. ### Claim 44 (depends on 43) The system of claim 43 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. ### Claim 45 (depends on 39) The system of claim 39 further comprising circuitry for removing said first spot from said ordered list of spots. ### Claim 46 (depends on 39) The system of claim 39 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. ### Claim 47 (depends on 39) The system of claim 39 further comprising: circuitry for selecting a second one of said spots; circuitry for determining a second cost for each unassigned break as a function of said first cost and as a function of a predetermined relative parameter; and circuitry for assigning said second spot to one of said unassigned breaks (“second break”) which has a lowest second cost. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) The system of claim 47 wherein said circuitry for assigning assigns said second spot to one of said unassigned breaks which has a second cost less than a second predetermined amount. ### Claim 49 (depends on 47) The system of claim 47 wherein said circuitry for assigning said second spot determines that no unassigned breaks have a second cost less than a second predetermined amount thereby preventing said second spot from being assigned to one of said unassigned breaks, determines that said second spot has a ranking greater than a ranking for said first spot, bumps said first spot from said first break, and assigns said second spot to said first break. ### Claim 50 (depends on 47) The system of claim 47 wherein said circuitry for assigning said second spot determines that no unassigned breaks have a second cost less than a second predetermined amount thereby preventing said second spot from being assigned to one of said unassigned breaks, determines that said second spot has a ranking less than a ranking for said first spot, places said second spot on an exceptions list, and removes said second spot from said ordered list of spots. ### Claim 51 (depends on 50) The system of claim 50 wherein said circuitry for assigning said second spot assigns said second spot to any one of said unassigned breaks. ### Claim 52 (depends on 47) The system of claim 47 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. ### Claim 53 (depends on 47) The system of claim 47 further comprising circuitry for assigning ad copy to each of said first and second spots. ### Claim 54 (depends on 47) The system of claim 47 wherein said first spot is associated with a first client and said second spot is associated with a second client. ### Claim 55 (depends on 47) The system of claim 47 wherein said first and second spots are the same. ### Claim 56 (depends on 47) The system of claim 47 wherein said first and second spot are associated with a same contract line. ### Claim 57 (depends on 47) The system of claim 47 wherein said fixed parameter and said relative parameter are each user defined.