Microsoft has patented a system allowing consumers to pay to skip ads

Streaming video online is both convenient and either free or relatively inexpensive. The only issue are the annoying commercial breaks that most online services completely prevent you from skipping or fast forwarding through. Microsoft apparently has a solution to that problem and secured a patent for it.

Late in 2011 Microsoft acquired a patent for “Control-based content pricing.” What exactly does that mean? Perhaps an excerpt from the patent application can shed some light on it.

“In an implementation of control-based content pricing, a content server distributes media content to a client device in response to a request from the client device to receive the media content. A valuation application allocates a cost to the client device when the media content is distributed to the client device. The content server receives a view control input from the client device that indicates how the media content is to be rendered and the valuation application adjusts the cost according to the view control input and how the media content is to be rendered.”

The short version is this service would allow you to download all of the content, including the advertisements, and the price would change depending on how you used that content. Essentially it monetizes the functions of your remote control. The price would go up if you used the fast forward button to skip ads or if you watched a show more than once.

The application continues,

“[A]dvertisers will be increasingly unwilling to have their advertising messages communicated with media content that a viewer can navigate to skip over the advertisements… Accordingly, media content providers need to provide alternate advertisement revenue models so that advertisers will continue to sponsor advertising messages being delivered with media content for consumer viewing….

For example, if a user initiates a navigation control input to advance past (e.g., skip over) an advertisement, the cost of a requested on-demand movie may be increased. Similarly, if a user initiates a replay of a sporting event, the user may be charged for the replay control input and for each subsequent view control input. This provides an advertisement revenue model that reflects user viewing choices and selections during playback of requested on-demand media, and enables targeted advertising and media content delivery, while maintaining consumer privacy.”

GeekWire actually got a response from a Microsoft spokesperson regarding this patent and what Microsoft plans to do with it. That response was simply,

“Microsoft regularly applies for and receives patents as part of its business practice. Not all patents applied for or received will be incorporated into a Microsoft product.”

Regardless this is an interesting concept that makes an attempt at pleasing both consumers and advertisers when it comes to online video. Would you be willing to pay more to fast forward or skip ads altogether?

Personally I feel that services like Hulu Plus, which charges users a fee per month, should disable the ads or give me the right to fast forward through them. I’m happy to pay for streaming services but I really don’t think I should have to take a hit both in my wallet and in my patience by forcing me to sit through ads for a paid service. Let us know what you think of this in the comments.