BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following description and accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the invention, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the hierarchical based advertising system according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an illustration showing the primary server update the advertisement data;
FIG. 3 is an illustration showing a terminal, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the broadcasting method of the hierarchical based advertising system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the hierarchical based advertising system according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the hierarchical based advertising system 100 includes a primary server 110, a plurality of secondary servers 120 and a plurality of terminals 130. The primary server 110 is located on the first level of the hierarchical based advertising system 100. The secondary servers 120, are located on the second level of the hierarchical based advertising system 100 and are coupled with the primary server 110 via the first network 210. The terminals 130 are located on 10 the third level of the hierarchical based advertising system 100 and are coupled with the secondary servers 120 via the second network 220. The first network 210 and the second network 220 can be implemented on a Local Area Network (LAN) and/or Wide Area Network (WAN), over wire and/or wireless networks, by using encrypted and/or non-encrypted technology. However, anyone who is skilled in the technology of the present embodiment will understand that the technology of the present embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, the secondary servers 120 on the second level can further be divided into several levels. In addition, the primary server 110, the secondary servers 120 and the terminals 130 can be connected via only one network such as the first network 210 or the second network 220.
More specifically, the primary server 110, which can be a control center of the hierarchical based advertising system 100, has the advertisement data 300 for the terminals 130. The advertisement data 300 includes advertisement files 310 and broadcasting lists 320. For example, the primary server 110 stores the advertisement file 310a and the broadcasting list 320a for the terminal 130a. The primary server also stores the advertisement file 310b and the broadcasting list 320b for the terminal 130b. Of course, the terminal 130a and the terminal 130b can have the identical advertisement file and broadcasting list. The secondary servers 120 can be distant from the primary server 110 to manage adjacent terminals. For example, the terminal 130a adjacent to the terminal 130b are both connected with the secondary server 120a, while the terminal 130c adjacent to the terminal 130d are both connected with the secondary server 120b. The advertisement files 310 and the broadcasting lists 320 may vary according to the location of the terminals 130. The primary server 110 can update the secondary servers 120 and the terminals 130 on the advertisement data. In other words, the latest advertisement files 310 and the latest broadcasting lists 320 can be pushed to the terminals 130 via the secondary servers 120, thus updating the terminals promptly.
FIG. 2 is an illustration showing the primary server update the advertisement data. Referring to FIG. 2, the terminal 130a may be a media board or a set top box. The secondary server 120a executes reception software 122 such as FTP (File Transfer Protocol) server software, while the primary server 110 executes transmission software 112 such as FTP client software. Thus, the primary server 110 can upload the advertisement file 310a and the broadcasting list 320a to the secondary server 120a. Also, the primary server 110 can transmit the advertisement file 310a and the broadcasting list 320a to the secondary server 120a using the file sharing function of the Microsoft operating system. After the broadcasting list 320a and the advertisement file 310a are transmitted from the primary server 110 to the secondary server 120a, the secondary server 120a can broadcast the advertisement file 310a according to the broadcasting list 320a so as to output a raw data stream 330 to the terminal 130a, thus updating the advertisement shown thereon. Of course, updating the advertisement file 310a and the broadcasting list 320a can be initiated by the terminal 130a or by the secondary server 120a by sending a request to the primary server 110.
With continued reference to FIG. 2, compared to the terminal 130a, the terminal 130b has a storage device 132 disposed thereon to store the advertisement file 310b and the broadcasting list 320b. In addition, the terminal 130b is capable of broadcasting the advertisement file 310b according to the broadcasting list 320b. For example, the advertisement file 310b and the broadcasting list 320b corresponding to the terminal 130b can be transmitted from the primary server 110 to the secondary server 120a, and then to the terminal 130b. The terminal 130b can store the advertisement file 310b as well as the broadcasting list 320b in the storage device 132. Hence, the terminal 130b can broadcast the advertisement file 310b stored in the storage device 132 when the update cannot be done due to the malfunction of the servers or the networks, thus decreasing the downtime of the system.
FIG. 3 is an illustration showing a terminal, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, for example, the terminal 130b can download and save the advertisement file 310b and the broadcasting list 320b in the storage device 132. The terminal 130b can also broadcast the advertisement file 310b according to the broadcasting list 320b. More specifically, the advertisement file 310b includes a plurality of AV (AudioNideo) files 312. The broadcasting list 320b, which may be a text file, includes the corresponding file names 322 and the broadcasting parameters 324 of the AV files 312. The broadcasting parameter 324 provides the number of times or the duration of the corresponding AV file 312 broadcasts. For example, the parameter R2 represents that the corresponding AV files would be shown two times, while the parameter T30 represents that the corresponding AV file would be shown thirty seconds. Referring to FIG. 3, the file name of the AV file 312a is “AudioA.mp3” and the broadcasting parameter “R3” represents that the AV file 312a will be shown at the terminal 130b for three times.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the broadcasting method of the hierarchical based advertising system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The method starts in step 352 by coupling a primary server with at least one secondary server and coupling the secondary server with at least one terminal, wherein the primary server, the secondary server and the terminal are arranged in a hierarchical structure. For example, in FIG. 1, by utilizing the first network and the second network, the secondary servers can be coupled with the primary server, while the terminals can be coupled with the secondary servers. In step 354, advertisement data of the terminals is generated. In step 356, the advertisement data is transmitted to the secondary server by the primary server, so as to push the advertisement data and broadcast advertisements from the secondary servers to the terminals.
It is worth noting that the broadcasting method can be modified according to the type of the terminal. For example, when the terminal has the storage device and is capable of processing the advertisement data. In step 362, a secondary server transmits the advertisement file and the broadcasting list to the terminal to update the advertisement hierarchically. Then, in step 364, the terminal broadcasts the advertisement file according to the broadcasting list. In other words, the terminal processes the advertisement data to show commercials. Alternatively, if the terminals can only accept the raw data stream, in step 372, the advertisement file is processed by the secondary server to generate a raw data stream. Subsequently, in step 374, the raw data stream is transmitted to the terminals to show commercials thereon.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention disclosed herein, the server and the terminals of the system are arranged hierarchically. The advertisements of the advertising system can be pushed by the server and promptly updated in the terminals hierarchically, thus decreasing the cost of maintaining the system. Moreover, the advertising system can broadcast the advertisements even if the server malfunctions, so as to decrease the downtime of the system.
While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements as would be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.
Patent Application
20080059996
