Dynamic Ad Insertion Using Break Descriptors and Cloud Ad Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing media distribution systems lack the ability to dynamically select advertisements based on user-level and household-level relevance, leading to inefficiencies in ad targeting and increased storage and bandwidth requirements for regionally targeted ads.

Innovation Solution

Implement a dynamic advertisement insertion system that includes a DAI break enabler and DAS system to select T2-level ads based on user and household profiles, allowing for targeted ad insertion while reducing the need for local storage and bandwidth by using a cloud-based ad distribution system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If regionally targeted advertisements are delivered to media presentation devices, then ad targeting capability is improved, but storage requirements and bandwidth consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvead targeting capabilityVSAvoidstorage requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the advertisement delivery function from the media presentation device and relocates it to a cloud-based ad delivery service. Instead of storing T2-level ads locally at the device, the system retrieves ads dynamically from the cloud when needed, thereby removing the storage burden from the media presentation device while maintaining regional targeting capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an ad delivery service as an intermediary between the advertisement source and the media presentation device. This intermediary handles the storage, management, and dynamic delivery of targeted advertisements, allowing the media presentation device to focus on content delivery while the intermediary manages ad inventory and user-specific ad selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If regionally targeted advertisements are delivered to media presentation devices, then ad targeting capability is improved, but bandwidth consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvead targeting capabilityVSAvoidbandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-processing and organizing advertisement content in the cloud based on user profiles and regional information. When an ad break occurs, the system quickly retrieves the appropriate pre-processed ad rather than performing real-time processing or transferring large amounts of raw ad inventory to the device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If T2-level ads are selected based on user profiles, then ad relevance is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvead relevanceVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements self-service mechanisms where the ad delivery service automatically matches advertisements with user profiles without requiring manual intervention. The service autonomously retrieves user profile information, selects appropriate T2-level ads based on matching criteria, and delivers them to the media presentation device, thereby managing complexity internally while presenting a simple interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Measurement precision

If dynamic ad selection is implemented at the media presentation device, then ad targeting precision is improved, but processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvead targeting precisionVSAvoidprocessing requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20260059152A1Methods and apparatus to perform dynamic advertisement insertion in media streams

Publication Date: 2026.02.26 DIRECTV LLC

AI summary

Disclosed examples include accessing a request corresponding to a set-top-box, the request received during receipt of a media stream at the set-top-box, the request to cause selection of an advertisement, the advertisement to be presented by the set-top-box during the media stream; accessing a break descriptor from the request, the break descriptor corresponding to a break in the media stream; based on the break descriptor, enabling the selection of the advertisement for the break of the media stream; and triggering generation of an advertisement decision for the set-top-box in association with the break descriptor, the advertisement decision to represent the advertisement.