Debra Lynn Donohue

US Patent:

20100114650, May 6, 2010

Filed:

Oct 31, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/262806

Inventors:

Daniel D. Sherr - Washington Depot CT, US
Mary Rainer Stewart - Greenwich CT, US
Debra L. Donohue - South Windsor CT, US
Lucy Miller Clark - Tolland CT, US
Emily A. Westfall - Laurel MD, US
Karen F. Kula - Woodbury CT, US
Therese Mulvey - North Granby CT, US
Chris Kaul - Oxford MI, US
Alireza Jahan Parvar - Falls Church VA, US
Erin E. O'Loughlin - Royal Oak MI, US
Steve Worona - Westland MI, US
Nancy E. Curmi - South Lyon MI, US
Karen Strnad - Trenton MI, US

Assignee:

VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC. - Livonia MI

International Classification:

G06Q 10/00
G06Q 50/00

US Classification:

705 10

Abstract:

An automated computer system for media planning is provided. The automated computer system includes functionality for determining geographically-localized estimated sales data for use in generating media plans. The automated computer system also includes functionality for determining the relative value of a localized geography to a media plan. The automated computer system further includes functionality for a media buyable unit (MBU) score for use in generating a geographically-localized media plan.

US Patent:

20100114652, May 6, 2010

Filed:

Oct 31, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/262826

Inventors:

Daniel D. Sherr - Washington Depot CT, US
Mary Rainer Stewart - Greenwich CT, US
Debra L. Donohue - South Windsor CT, US
Lucy Miller Clark - Tolland CT, US
Emily A. Westfall - Laurel MD, US
Karen F. Kula - Woodbury CT, US
Therese Mulvey - North Granby CT, US
Chris Kaul - Oxford MI, US
Alireza Jahan Parvar - Falls Church VA, US
Erin E. O'Loughlin - Royal Oak MI, US
Steve Worona - Westland MI, US
Nancy E. Curmi - South Lyon MI, US
Karen Strnad - Trenton MI, US

Assignee:

VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC. - Livonia MI

International Classification:

G06N 5/02
G06Q 10/00
G06Q 50/00

US Classification:

705 10, 706 48

Abstract:

An automated computer system for generating a geographically-localized media plan including a number of selected media buyable units (MBUs) is provided. The system implements the following functions: receiving client-defined information and a number of business rules; receiving a number of MBUs each having a relative value and including a first and second MBU associated with a first media product option and a third and fourth MBU associated with a second media product option; applying an optimization algorithm to the client-defined information, the number of business rules and the number of MBU relative values to obtain a number of selected MBUs included in a geographically-localized media plan; and outputting the geographically-localized media plan for use by a client in media planning. The first MBU associated with a first geography. The second MBU is associated with a second geography and the first geography, with the first geography being larger than the second geography and the first geography substantially covering the second geography.

US Patent:

20100114651, May 6, 2010

Filed:

Oct 31, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/262813

Inventors:

Daniel D. Sherr - Washington Depot CT, US
Mary Rainer Stewart - Greenwich CT, US
Debra L. Donohue - South Windsor CT, US
Lucy Miller Clark - Tolland CT, US
Emily A. Westfall - Laurel MD, US
Karen F. Kula - Woodbury CT, US
Therese Mulvey - North Granby CT, US
Chris Kaul - Oxford MI, US
Alireza Jahan Parvar - Falls Church VA, US
Erin E. O'Loughlin - Royal Oak MI, US
Steve Worona - Westland MI, US
Nancy E. Curmi - South Lyon MI, US
Karen Strnad - Trenton MI, US

Assignee:

VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC. - Livonia MI

International Classification:

G06Q 30/00
G06Q 50/00
G06Q 10/00

US Classification:

705 10

Abstract:

An automated computer system for scoring the effectiveness of a number of number of media options for purposes of media planning is provided. The system implements the following functions: receiving a client objective for a media plan for advertising a number of products and/or services and a consumer purchasing frequency for the number of products and/or services; receiving a number of media product options; and scoring the effectiveness of each of the number of media product options based on the client objective and the consumer purchasing frequency to obtain a value for each of the number of media product options. The client objective may be selected from a number of discrete objectives and the consumer purchasing frequency may be selected from a number of consumer purchasing frequency options.