Ad Selection System for Unpredictable Commercial Breaks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods struggle to accurately predict and fill commercial breaks of unknown duration in audio video content, such as sports events or live broadcasts, with relevant and optimized advertisements.
Innovation Solution
A method that estimates the duration of commercial breaks based on past event data, using genre, subgenre, and metadata information to identify event types, and selects advertisements that match the estimated duration, prioritizing revenue and relevance, while ensuring seamless event resumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If advertisement substitution/insertion is applied to replace initial advertisements with targeted advertisements, then advertisement relevance to final user is improved, but prediction accuracy of break occurrence and duration deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-fetching and buffering advertisement content before the commercial break actually occurs. The client device receives and stores advertisement data in advance based on predicted break timing, so when the break occurs, the advertisements are already ready for immediate playback without requiring precise real-time prediction of break duration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the advertisement selection and playback based on actual break conditions. The server can modify advertisement choices mid-stream based on feedback about actual break duration, and the client device can adjust playback timing to match the actual break length rather than relying on fixed predictions.
2Productivity
If fixed schedule breaks are used in audio video content, then media content insertion optimality is improved, but adaptability to live events deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
For live events with unpredictable breaks, the system performs preliminary actions by pre-loading multiple advertisement options and buffering them in advance. When a break occurs, the system can quickly select from pre-prepared advertisement sets without needing to make real-time decisions about what to air, thus maintaining efficiency while adapting to unpredictable break timing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes parameters dynamically by adjusting advertisement selection criteria, playback speed, and timing based on the actual characteristics of the break. Instead of using fixed schedules, the system modifies advertisement parameters (duration, content, sequence) to match the actual break duration and context, enabling both efficiency and adaptability.
3Reliability
If advertisement duration is extended to fill unpredictable commercial breaks, then break filling completeness is improved, but event lag increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments advertisements into smaller playable units or clips that can be组合 (combined) in different sequences. Instead of playing one long advertisement that may exceed the break duration, the system divides advertisements into segments that can be flexibly arranged to match the actual break length, ensuring complete fill without excessive lag.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts advertisement playback based on real-time break duration feedback. If the break is shorter than expected, the system can truncate advertisements or switch to shorter alternatives. If the break is longer, it can extend playback or insert additional advertisements, continuously adapting to maintain optimal fill completeness while minimizing lag.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving a user input requesting an event to be displayed; playing out the requested event; identifying a type of the requested event; estimating a duration of a next commercial break occurring in the requested event according to the type; selecting at least one advertisement having a duration corresponding to the estimated duration of the next commercial break; and playing out the at least one advertisement. Related systems, apparatus and methods are also described.