Ad Insertion Server for Live Video Bandwidth Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost of producing and distributing live video streams over wide area networks, such as sporting events, made it difficult for producers to realize revenue from advertising due to the prohibitive expenses associated with video delivery and bandwidth costs.
Innovation Solution
A real-time video stream production system that includes an advertising insertion server and controller, allowing for the insertion of advertising impression data, cue points, or image pattern-based information into the video stream, enabling dynamic advertising insertion and management through a user interface, with caching and skewed access times to manage bandwidth and latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If live video streams are distributed over wide area networks, then viewers can access content globally, but bandwidth costs and production expenses become prohibitively expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the video stream into segments that can be independently processed and delivered. Advertising insertion servers receive the video stream, insert advertisements at designated times, and return modified segments. This segmentation allows efficient distribution and targeted advertising without requiring full-stream retransmission, reducing bandwidth costs while maintaining global accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces advertising insertion servers as intermediary components between the video source and distributors. These servers receive video streams, insert advertisements, and return modified streams to distributors who then distribute to viewers. This intermediary layer enables advertising integration without requiring direct high-bandwidth connections between all participants, reducing overall bandwidth costs.
2Productivity
If advertising spots are inserted into live video streams, then producers can generate revenue, but the complexity of managing real-time advertising insertion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs preliminary action by pre-designating specific time intervals for advertising insertion within the video stream. The advertising controller and insertion servers prepare advertisement content and timing information in advance, then automatically insert them at the predetermined moments. This eliminates the need for complex real-time decision-making and manual intervention, reducing system complexity while maintaining revenue generation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service through automated advertising insertion systems. The advertising controller automatically receives video streams, selects appropriate advertisement content, and instructs insertion servers to place ads at designated times without requiring manual intervention. The system manages its own operations, reducing complexity while maximizing advertising revenue opportunities.
3Productivity
If real-time video streams are modified to include advertising content, then advertising revenue can be realized, but the timing and synchronization of ad insertion must be precise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses preliminary action by pre-determining the exact time intervals when advertisements should be inserted into the video stream. The advertising controller and insertion servers prepare timing information and advertisement content in advance, ensuring that ads are inserted at the correct moments without requiring complex real-time synchronization. This predetermined timing approach ensures precision while simplifying the overall system operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A real time video stream production system includes: (a) an advertising insertion server receiving over a wide area network a real time video stream; and (b) an advertising controller, which receives the real time video stream from the advertising insertion server. The advertising controller has a user interface which allows an operator to cause advertising impression data available from an advertising server to be included in a modified video data stream presented to a media player client for display.