AU2018236827A1 - Systems and methods for automated allocation of media items to a media planning system - Google Patents

Abstract

Embodiments generally relate to a system for automated media class-neutral allocations of multiple media items to a media planning system, comprising a user device associated with a first user; a user device associated with a second user; and a server comprising a processor. The processor is configured to receive a package template comprising one or more candidate allocations associated with one or more media items wherein the one or more candidate allocations are associated with the user device of the first user; receive a proposed transaction for the package template submitted by the user device associated with the second user; determine if the proposed transaction satisfies one or more constraints specified by the user device associated with the first user; if the proposed transaction satisfies the one or more constraints, create an instantiated package with a set of parameters, based on the proposed transaction, input into the package template. o a)0 a) 0 Ufl I.-j a. ~ CM Vt) r-U Ej. Ib. _0 _0 00. (D- 001 -I F4

Description

Systems and methods for automated allocation of media items to a media planning system

Technical Field [0001] Embodiments generally relate to methods and systems for automated allocation of media items to a media planning system. In particular, embodiments relate to allocation of multiple class-neutral media items to a media planning system.

Background [0002] In the media industry, a variety of methods may be used to allow for buyers and sellers of media products to interact. Methods may include manual, semi-manual, and electronic mechanisms of various levels of sophistication that facilitate transactions between buyers and sellers of media products. In some media classes, such as in digital media, electronic and real-time media trading platforms may be used to facilitate the purchasing of media items. Other classes of media, such as print media and outdoor advertising, may rely on more traditional media trading platforms and communication systems to facilitate transactions. These may include telephone calls, emails, and exchanges of spreadsheets and other data to effect trades. When a user wishes to buy or sell media items across multiple media classes, they may need to use several different media trading platforms to enable transactions with other parties.

[0003] It is desired to address or ameliorate one or more shortcomings or disadvantages associated with prior systems for media trading platforms, or to at least provide a useful alternative thereto.

[0004] Throughout this specification the word comprise, or variations such as comprises or comprising, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

2018236827 27 Sep 2018 [0005] Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present disclosure as it existed before the priority date of each of the appended claims.

Summary [0006] Some embodiments relate to a system for automated media class-neutral allocations of multiple media items to a media planning system, comprising:

a user device associated with a first user;

a user device associated with a second user;

a server comprising a processor to:

receive a package template comprising one or more candidate allocations associated with one or more media items wherein the one or more candidate allocations are associated with the user device of the first user;

receive a proposed transaction for the package template submitted by the user device associated with the second user;

determine if the proposed transaction satisfies one or more constraints specified by the user device associated with the first user;

if the proposed transaction satisfies the one or more constraints, create an instantiated package with a set of parameters, based on the proposed transaction, input into the package template, wherein the instantiated package includes a set of specific media allocations, wherein each specific media allocation in the set of media allocations is based on a unique combination of one of the one or more candidate allocations and one of the one or more media items; and authorise an application programming interface of the media planning system to allocate the specified allocation for the media item for each specific media allocation in the set of specific media allocations.

2018236827 27 Sep 2018 [0007] According to some embodiments, the processor determines a schedule of one or more instantiated packages for the user device associated with the second user, wherein the schedule comprises an ordered set of specific media allocations. In some embodiments, the processor sends the schedule to the user device associated with the second user.

[0008] In some embodiments, the system sends to the user device associated with the second user a portfolio of available media items that satisfy criteria specified by the second user.

[0009] According to some embodiments, the system sends to the user device associated with the second user an ordered set of portfolios of available media items that are ranked by a score of each portfolio in the ordered set of portfolios.

[0010] According to some embodiments, the user device associated with a first user is in communication with a set of user devices including at least the user device associated with the second user.

[0011] In some embodiments, one of the one or more constraints is a fixed price for the package template. In some embodiments, one of the one or more constraints is any user device can send a proposed transaction on a package template. According to some embodiments, one of the one or more constraints is the user device associated with a second user that provides the earliest proposed transaction on the package template.

[0012] Some embodiments further comprise a data store to store an association between the instantiated package, the one or more media items, the second user and the first user.

[0013] According to some embodiments, a candidate allocation is calculated based on an offset from a variable starting time.

2018236827 27 Sep 2018 [0014] Some embodiments relate to method for automated media class-neutral allocations of multiple media items to a media planning system, comprising:

receiving a package template comprising one or more candidate allocations associated with one or more classes of media items wherein the one or more candidate allocations are associated with a user device of a first user;

receiving a proposed transaction for the package template submitted by a user device associated with a second user;

determining if the proposed transaction satisfies one or more constraints specified by the user device associated with the first user;

if the proposed transaction satisfies the one or more constraints, creating an instantiated package with a set of parameters input into the package template, wherein the instantiated package includes a set of specific media allocations, wherein each specific media allocation in the set of media allocations is based on a unique combination of one of the one or more candidate allocations and one of the one or more media items;

authorising an application programming interface of the media planning system to allocate the specified allocation for the media item for each specific media allocation.

[0015] Some embodiments relate to software, being machine readable instructions, that when performed by a computer system causes the computer system to perform the method of some previously described embodiments.

Brief Description of Drawings [0016] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example system for the automated allocation of media items to a media planning system;

[0017] Figure 2A is a flowchart showing an example method performed by the buyer device of Figure 1;

2018236827 27 Sep 2018 [0018] Figure 2B is a flowchart showing an example method performed by the system of Figure 1;

[0019] Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating a media package containing multiple media items as created by the system of Figure 1;

[0020] Figures 4A and 4B are block diagrams showing instances of an offer for a media booking made using the system of Figure 1;

[0021] Figure 5 is a block diagram showing instances of a campaign and an offer made using the system of Figure 1; and [0022] Figure 6 is a block diagram showing an number of forms of contract that can be facilitated by the system of Figure 1.

Description of Embodiments [0023] Embodiments generally relate to methods and systems for automated allocation of media items to a media planning system. In particular, embodiments relate to allocation of multiple class-neutral media items to a media planning system.

[0024] Figure 1 shows a block diagram of a system 100 for the automated media class-neutral allocation of media items. In particular, system 100 may allow for allocation of available advertising spots to classes of media items such as videos for television, audio clips for radio, website multimedia and newspaper images. In some previously known systems, such allocations are done separately for the different types of media. System 100 enables media-neutral allocations through the use of parameterised package templates, which can be instantiated for different classes of media items seamlessly for a user interacting with the system and automatically scheduled by interfacing with a media planning system.

[0025] System 100 comprises a seller device 110, a buyer device 120, a server 130 and a media planning system 140.

2018236827 27 Sep 2018 [0026] According to some embodiments, seller device 110 may be a handheld computing device such as a mobile phone or a tablet. In some embodiments, seller device 110 may be a desktop computing device or a laptop. Seller device 110 comprises a processor 112 and memory 114. Memory 114 comprises an application 115, which contains program code accessible to and executable by processor 112. Functions of application 115 are explained in further detail below, but may include presenting a graphical user interface to a user of seller device 110 via a display of seller device 110 to allow the user to participate in a media transaction.

[0027] Seller device 110 further includes a communications module 116 and a user input/output module 118. Communications module 116 may comprise one or more of a TCP/IP, HTTP/HTTPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB, Ethernet, or other communications modules, configured to allow seller device 110 to communicate with server 130. User input/output module 118 may communicate with input and output peripherals of seller device 110, which may include one or more of a display, touch screen display, keyboard, mouse, button, switch, speaker, microphone, and camera. User input/output module 118 may facilitate communication of data between seller device 110 and a user of seller device 110.

[0028] According to some embodiments, buyer device 120 may be a handheld computing device such as a mobile phone or a tablet. In some embodiments, buyer device 120 may be a desktop computing device or a laptop. Buyer device 120 comprises a processor 122 and memory 124. Memory 124 comprises an application 125, which contains program code accessible to and executable by processor 122. Functions of application 125 are explained in further detail below, but may include presenting a graphical user interface to a user of buyer device 120 via a display of buyer device 120 to allow the user to participate in a media transaction.

[0029] Buyer device 120 further includes a communications module 126 and a user input/output module 128. Communications module 126 may comprise one or more of a TCP/IP, HTTP/HTTPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB, Ethernet, or other communications modules, configured to allow buyer device 120 to communicate with server 130. User

2018236827 27 Sep 2018 input/output module 128 may communicate with input and output peripherals of buyer device 120, which may include one or more of a display, touch screen display, keyboard, mouse, button, switch, speaker, microphone, and camera. User input/output module 128 may facilitate communication of data between buyer device 120 and a user of buyer device 120.

[0030] Server 130 may comprise one or more computing devices and servers, and may be a cloud-based server system in some embodiments. Server 130 comprises a processor 132 and memory 134. Memory 134 comprises an application 135, which contains program code accessible to and executable by processor 132. Server 130 further includes a communications module 136. Communications module 136 may comprise one or more of a TCP/IP, HTTP/HTTPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB, Ethernet, or other communications modules, and may be configured to facilitate communications between server 130 and one or more of seller device 110, buyer device 120, and media planning system 140.

[0031] Media planning system 140 may be a system of servers and/or other computing devices configured to allow a media agency to plan an advertising campaign. Media agencies may use media planning system 140 to work out audience characteristics, and the media items (such as television advertisements, newspaper advertisements, or radio advertisements, for example) that need to be advertised in to reach the desired audience. Media planning system 140 may be accessed by a media agency to create a media plan, which may include information on a number of publications, and the dates on which advertisements in the publications would be purchased. The media plan may also include information on the size or duration of the advertisements, unit rates, prices, and other details. A media plan may also be referred to as a schedule, as described in further detail below. Figure 2A shows a flowchart of a method 200 of creating a media campaign using system 100. Method 200 may be performed by processor 122 of buyer device 120 executing application 125. Method 200 may relate to a situation in which a user using buyer device 120 makes an offer to buy media space from one or more publishers or sellers of media space using one or more seller devices 110.

2018236827 27 Sep 2018 [0032] Method 200 starts at step 201, with processor 122 causing buyer device 120 to display a number of publisher options for selection by a user of buyer device 120. Each option may relate to a publisher of media, which may be print media, radio, television, or other media. The options may be presented to the user via user I/O 128, such as on a display screen.

[0033] At step 205, processor 122 receives a user selection of a publisher. The input may be detected by user I/O 128, and may be a touch of a touch screen, selection via a mouse or joystick, or input via a keyboard, button, microphone, camera, or other means. The input may be a selection of one of the publishers displayed by the device at step 201.

[0034] At step 210, processor 122 causes buyer device 120 to display a number of publication options for selection by a user of buyer device 120. Each option may relate to a publication owned by the publisher selected at step 205. The publications may include radio channels, television channels, magazines, newspapers, billboards, electronic magazines, electronic newspapers, and other publications. The options may be presented to the user via user I/O 128, such as on a display screen.

[0035] At step 215, processor 122 receives a user selection of a publication. The input may be detected by user I/O 128, and may be a touch of a touch screen, selection via a mouse or joystick, or input via a keyboard, button, microphone, camera, or other means. The input may be a selection of one of the publications displayed by the device at step 210.

[0036] At optional step 220, processor 122 causes buyer device 120 to display a number of section options for selection by a user of buyer device 120. Each option may relate to a section of the publication selected at step 210, where the publication selected has a number of sections. For example, where the publication is a newspaper, the sections could include particular page ranges of the newspaper, sections of the newspaper such as the classifieds, or loose pull-out sections within the newspaper. The options may be presented to the user via user I/O 128, such as on a display screen.

2018236827 27 Sep 2018 [0037] At optional step 225, processor 122 receives a user selection of a publication section. The input may be detected by user I/O 128, and may be a touch of a touch screen, selection via a mouse or joystick, or input via a keyboard, button, microphone, camera, or other means. The input may be a selection of one of the publication sections displayed by the device at step 220.

[0038] At step 230, processor 122 causes buyer device 120 to display a number of parameter fields. Each parameter field may relate to a parameter or option relating to the section selected at optional step 225, or the publication selected at step 215. For example, where the publication is a radio channel, the parameters may include the duration of the advertisement. In another example, where the selected publication is a newspaper and the selected section is a loose pull-out section, the parameters may include size, paper type, and folding configuration of the pull-out. The parameter fields may be presented to the user via user I/O 128, such as on a display screen.

[0039] At step 235, processor 122 receives the parameters entered by the user for each of the parameter fields presented at step 230. The parameters may be entered using user I/O 128, such as via a touchscreen, keyboard, microphone, camera, or other means.

[0040] At step 240, processor 122 may present an option to the user to add another section from the same publication to their campaign. If the user elects to add an additional section, processor 122 may be caused to continue to execute method 200 from step 220.

[0041] If the user elects not to add another section, processor 122 may be caused to continue to execute method 200 from step 245. At step 245, processor 122 may present an option to the user to add another publication from the same publisher to their campaigne, creating a package of publications. If the user elects to add an additional publication to create a package, processor 122 may be caused to continue to execute method 200 from step 210.

2018236827 27 Sep 2018 ίο [0042] If the user elects not to add another publication, processor 122 may be caused to continue to execute method 200 from step 250. At step 250, processor 122 may present an option to the user to add another publisher to their campaign, creating a schedule. If the user elects to add an additional publisher, processor 122 may be caused to continue to execute method 200 from step 201.

[0043] If the user elects not to add another publisher, processor 122 may be caused to continue to execute method 200 from step 255. At step 255, processor 122 may present an option to the user to save their package or schedule as a template. If the user elects to save their package or schedule as a template, processor 122 causes step 260 to be executed, at which the package or schedule is saved as a reusable template, which the user can then use for multiple campaigns on multiple dates in the future. The template may be sent to server 130 to be saved in memory 124. Once the template is saved, processor 122 continues by executing step 265.

[0044] If the user elects not to save their package or schedule as a template, processor 122 may be caused to continue to execute method 200 from step 265. At step 265, processor 122 may prompt the user to enter campaign dates. Processor 122 may then submit the campaign as an inventory request, by sending the campaign details to server 130. Server 130 may then be caused to communicate with seller devices 110 related to any of the publishers selected by the user as part of their campaign, to see whether the publisher is willing to sell the advertising space requested by the user, as described in further detail below. According to some embodiments, the publisher may be able to accept, reject, or modify the package or schedule created by a user of buyer device 120, as described in further detail below.

[0045] According to some embodiments, one or more of steps 201, 210, 220, and 230 may be performed simultaneously by device 122, as described in further detail below with reference to Figure 7.

[0046] Figure 2B shows a flowchart of a method 270 of facilitating automated media class-neutral allocation of media items. Method 270 may be performed by processor

2018236827 27 Sep 2018

132 executing application 135. Method 270 may relate to a situation in which a publisher using seller device 110 initiates a sale of media space to a buyer using buyer device 120.

[0047] At step 271, processor 132 receives a package template comprising one or more candidate allocations associated with one or more classes of media items, being publications, from seller device 110. For example, media items within a package may include print display ads, print flyer ads, print classifieds ads, outdoor billboard ads, outdoor bus ads, or other media class items. According to some embodiments, the package template may be generated by processor 112 of seller device 110 executing application 115 in response to receiving user input via user input/output module 118. According to some embodiments, a user of seller device 110 may be able to select or modify package items to create a package template for sending to server 130. For example, seller device may execute one or more of steps 210 to 245 to create a package template. Examples of package templates are described in further detail below with reference to Figures 3 to 5.

[0048] At step 220, processor 132 receives a proposed transaction for the package template submitted by buyer device 120. The proposed transaction may be generated by processor 122 of buyer device 120 executing application 125 in response to receiving user input via user input/output module 128. The user input may be generated in response to buyer device 120 receiving the package template generated by seller device 110. The proposed transaction generated by buyer device 120 may be a specific offer made by buyer 120 for the publications included in the package template, and may include campaign start and end dates. An example of a screen showing a package template being used to generate a proposed transaction or offer is described below with reference to Figure 8.

[0049] At step 230, processor 132 determines whether the proposed transaction satisfies one or more constraints specified by seller device 110. If processor 132 determines that the proposed transaction does satisfy the constraints, processor 132 proceeds to execute step 240. If processor 132 determines that the proposed transaction

2018236827 27 Sep 2018 does not satisfy the constraints, processor 132 proceeds to execute step 260. Constraints may include page ranges, prices, sizes, durations, and other parameters for the campaign as it relates to particular publications.

[0050] At step 260, where processor 132 has determined that the proposed transaction does not satisfy the constraints, processor 132 may reject the proposed transaction, by sending a rejection message to buyer device 120. Processor 132 may include details of which constraints were not satisfied within the rejection message. Processor 132 may then await a further proposed transaction. When processor 132 receives a further proposed transaction, processor 132 may continue to execute method 200 from step 220.

[0051] At step 240, where processor 132 has determined that the proposed transaction does satisfy the constraints, processor 132 creates an instantiated package with a set of parameters, based on the proposed transaction, input into the package template. The instantiated package includes a set of specific media allocations. Each specific media allocation in the set of media allocations is based on a unique combination of one of the one or more candidate allocations and one of the one or more media items. Examples of the instantiated packages, or offer instances, are shown at 530 and 540 of Figure 5.

[0052] At step 250, processor 132 authorises an application programming interface (API) of media planning system 140 to allocate the specified allocation for the media item for each specific media allocation.

[0053] A media trading platform is usually tailored towards a specific media class (e.g., print, digital, outdoor, radio or TV). Although system 100 may be configured to service the print media market, system 100 is media-class-neutral. The tradeable unit within media system 100 may be called a package, and may contain generic attributes such as inventory reference number, client ID, supplier ID, sale ending date, campaign start date, and package price, for example .The generic attributes may be determined by the user, as described above with references to Figure 2A, or predetermined by system

2018236827 27 Sep 2018

100. A package can therefore bundle elements of different media classes. This is shown in Figure 3.

[0054] Figure 3 is a block diagram 300 illustrating a media package 300 containing multiple media items 310. Media items 310 may include one or more of a print display advertisement, a print flyer advertisement, print classified advertisements, an outdoor billboard advertisement, an outdoor bus advertisement, and other media item types. Media items 310 within Package 300 may be a flexible architectural software component of a generic “transactable package” that is agnostic to its contents, which enables package 300 to be extended easily to include other media classes that might be added in the future. A buyer that wishes to buy advertising space in one or more media items may be able to put together a package 300 containing the items 310 in which they wish to buy advertising space. A buyer may be able to generate a package 300 using buyer device 120 executing method 200, as described above with reference to Figure 2A.

[0055] Figures 4A and 4B are block diagrams showing instances of offers 400 and 450 containing packages 410 and 460. An offer may be generated by a buyer device 120, and may be an offer to purchase particular advertising space from a seller. Packages 410 and 460 may be flexible architectural software component of a generic “package template” with abstract definitions of weeks from “week 1” to “week 52”. The weeks may correspond to a period of time during which the buyer wishes to purchase the advertising space. This allows the same package 410 of available media items to be reused within different offers 400 and 450, where the week commencing date is different. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, offer 400 has a commencing date of 01/01/2017, while offer 450 has a week commencing date of 01/06/2017. In other words, offers 400 and 450 relate to the same advertising items and for the same length of time, but starting on different dates. Having a generic package 410 allows for a saving in time and effort for all industry players when making offers to buy advertising space, especially when large media packages are involved. With no change to the template of package 410, a new set of booking dates for an advertisement can be instantly supported.

2018236827 27 Sep 2018 [0056] When buyers request sellers for inventory of media items, buyers may in effect create package definitions for each seller via buyer device 120. The buyer-side equivalent of a package template 410 may be called a schedule, and a schedule may be made up of a set of seller package templates generated by buyer device 120, with each package relating to a different publisher. A schedule may be reused by a buyer to request inventory from one or more sellers week after week, or month after month, in exactly the same way as a seller package template 410, with minimal data entry required. Only the start date of the schedule may need to be changed for each new instance.

[0057] This architecture also allows the requests from a buyer to different sellers to be neatly separated from one another in different package templates. Each of the sellers then only has to make an offer based on their own package template. This may operate in the same way as the seller offering inventory using their own package templates, with the only difference being that the buyer has done the work for the seller. An example of this is shown in Figure 5.

[0058] Figure 5 shows a block diagram 500 having instances of a campaign 510 and 520 as well as offers 530 and 540. Campaigns 510 and 520 include a schedule template 512, which contains packages 514 and 516. Schedule template 512 may be a flexible architectural software component of a generic “schedule template”, which builds on the package template and allows two levels of reuse. In particular, the abstract definitions of weeks from “week 1” to “week 52” within schedule template 512 allow the same schedule template 512 to be reused within campaigns 510 and 520, despite the week commencing date being different. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, campaign 510 has a week commencing date of 01/01/2017, while campaign 520 has a week commencing date of 01/06/2017. The same schedule template 512 can therefore be used in multiple campaigns, as illustrated.

[0059] Also, schedule template 512 is made up of package templates 514 and 516, allowing publishers or sellers to reuse packages in offers 530 and 540 without

2018236827 27 Sep 2018 recreating the package. As illustrated, offer 530 contains package 514, while offer 540 contains package 516.

[0060] Figure 6 is a block diagram 600 showing an number of forms of contract 610 to 650 that can be facilitated by the system 100. A contract may be a flexible architectural software component that features two core elements, being an offer 660 and an acceptance 670, allowing the processes of the contract to be extensible to support all transacting models in the media industry without redesign. For example, system 100 may support a basic contract 610 comprising offer 660 and acceptance 670; a contract with negotiation 620 comprising a first offer 660, negotiation, a second offer 665 and acceptance 670, a contract with pre-negotiation 630 comprising a first proposal, negotiation, a second proposal, further negotiation, an offer 660 and acceptance 670; a public sale 640 comprising an offer 660 and a first bid being acceptance 670; or a public auction 650 comprising an offer, multiple bids, an auction end and a winning bid being acceptance 670.

[0061] Figure 7 shows an example screenshot 700 that may be presented to a buyer using buyer device 120 when the buyer is creating a campaign, package template or package schedule, as described above with reference to Figure 2A.

[0062] Screenshot 700 shows a client section 710, which may allow a buyer using buyer device 120 to input information about a client wishing to purchase advertising space. This information may include a client code and/or name, and information about a client’s product. Section 710 may also include fields to allow a user to enter a schedule code or name for the particular campaign being created, a purchase order, if required, as well as comments pertaining to both the inventory request (as created at step 265 of method 200) and the reusable schedule, if the campaign is saved as a reusable template (as described at step 260 of method 200). For the inventory request, a date of the start of the campaign can also be entered.

[0063] Screenshot 700 also includes campaign section 720, which allows a buyer using buyer device 120 to input information about the publications in which advertising

2018236827 27 Sep 2018 space is being sought. Information may include the publishers, publications, sections, and parameters, as described above with reference to steps 201 to 235 of method 200.

[0064] Figure 8 shows an example screenshot 800 that may be presented to a buyer using buyer device 120 when the buyer is interested in making an offer based on a package template created by a seller on seller device 110, as described above with reference to Figure 2B. Screenshot 800 includes package section 820, which shows information about the publications in which advertising space is being sold by the seller using seller device 110. Information may include the publications, sections, and parameters, as described above with reference to steps 201 to 235 of method 200.

[0065] Screenshot 800 also includes an offer section 830, which a buyer using buyer device 120 can use to make an offer, by inputting dates for their proposed campaign, as well as start and end dates for the offer.

[0066] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments, without departing from the broad general scope of the present disclosure. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims (13)

1. CLAIMS:

   1. A system for automated media class-neutral allocations of multiple media items to a media planning system, comprising:

   a user device associated with a first user;

   a user device associated with a second user;

   a server comprising a processor to:

   receive a package template comprising one or more candidate allocations associated with one or more media items wherein the one or more candidate allocations are associated with the user device of the first user;

   receive a proposed transaction for the package template submitted by the user device associated with the second user;

   determine if the proposed transaction satisfies one or more constraints specified by the user device associated with the first user;

   if the proposed transaction satisfies the one or more constraints, create an instantiated package with a set of parameters, based on the proposed transaction, input into the package template, wherein the instantiated package includes a set of specific media allocations, wherein each specific media allocation in the set of media allocations is based on a unique combination of one of the one or more candidate allocations and one of the one or more media items;

   authorise an application programming interface of the media planning system to allocate the specified allocation for the media item for each specific media allocation in the set of specific media allocations.

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2. 2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the processor determines a schedule of one or more instantiated packages for the user device associated with the second user, wherein the schedule comprises an ordered set of specific media allocations.
3. 3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the processor sends the schedule to the user device associated with the second user.
4. 4. A system according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the system sends to the user device associated with the second user a portfolio of available media items that satisfy criteria specified by the second user.
5. 5. A system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the system sends to the user device associated with the second user an ordered set of portfolios of available media items that are ranked by a score of each portfolio in the ordered set of portfolios.
6. 6. A system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the user device associated with a first user is in communication with a set of user devices including at least the user device associated with the second user.
7. 7. A system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein one of the one or more constraints is a fixed price for the package template.
8. 8. A system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein one of the one or more constraints is any user device can send a proposed transaction on a package template.
9. 9. A system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein one of the one or more constraints is the user device associated with a second user that provides the earliest proposed transaction on the package template.

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10. 10. A system according to any of the preceding claims further comprising a data store to store an association between the instantiated package, the one or more media items, the second user and the first user.
11. 11. A system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a candidate allocation is calculated based on an offset from a variable starting time.
12. 12. A method for automated media class-neutral allocations of multiple media items to a media planning system, comprising:

    receiving a package template comprising one or more candidate allocations associated with one or more classes of media items wherein the one or more candidate allocations are associated with a user device of a first user;

    receiving a proposed transaction for the package template submitted by a user device associated with a second user;

    determining if the proposed transaction satisfies one or more constraints specified by the user device associated with the first user;

    if the proposed transaction satisfies the one or more constraints, creating an instantiated package with a set of parameters, based on the proposed transaction, input into the package template, wherein the instantiated package includes a set of specific media allocations, wherein each specific media allocation in the set of media allocations is based on a unique combination of one of the one or more candidate allocations and one of the one or more media items;

    authorising an application programming interface of the media planning system to allocate the specified allocation for the media item for each specific media allocation.

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13. 13. Software, being machine readable instructions, that when performed by a computer system causes the computer system to perform the method claim 12.