Dynamic Content Insertion in Media Streaming via Manifest Manipulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increased popularity of on-demand viewing and media streaming has made it difficult for content distributors to dynamically insert secondary content, such as advertisements or public service announcements, into video on demand and media streaming platforms without degrading the quality of service or requiring the generation of numerous unique manifests, which is computationally expensive and infeasible for large user bases.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for dynamically inserting secondary content into primary content data feeds by manipulating manifests, including fragment insertion and replacement, to create a combined feed that can be transmitted to user devices, allowing for real-time or near-real-time customization of content delivery without affecting the quality of service.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If dynamic content insertion is implemented into media streaming platforms, then content delivery flexibility and advertising capability are improved, but system complexity and computational cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the media stream into discrete time intervals or segments, allowing secondary content to be inserted at specific points without affecting the entire stream. This segmentation enables flexible content insertion while maintaining system manageability by treating each segment independently
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a content insertion system as an intermediary component between the media source and the user device. This intermediary handles the complexity of content selection, timing, and insertion, allowing the main streaming system to remain simple while still achieving dynamic content delivery flexibility
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple unique manifests are generated for different content versions, then content customization accuracy is improved, but computational expense and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple content versions and their corresponding manifests into a single unified manifest structure. Instead of generating separate manifests for each content variation, the system combines them into one manifest that contains references to multiple content versions, significantly reducing computational expense while maintaining content customization accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal manifest structure that serves multiple functions: it can reference different content versions, handle various insertion scenarios, and work with different media types. This multi-functional manifest eliminates the need for multiple specialized manifests, reducing overall computational burden
3Adaptability or versatility
If secondary content is inserted into media streams, then advertising effectiveness and user engagement are improved, but quality of service and viewing experience may be degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by inserting secondary content at specific localized points in the media stream rather than disrupting the entire stream. The insertion timing and positioning are optimized to minimize impact on the main content viewing experience while still achieving advertising effectiveness. The system maintains high quality service by ensuring smooth transitions and proper synchronization
4Speed
If real-time content insertion is performed, then responsiveness and user experience are improved, but processing speed requirements and system resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-preparing content insertion materials and manifest structures before actual content delivery. The unified manifest is generated in advance with all necessary content version references and timing information, allowing the system to respond quickly during live streaming without performing heavy computational operations in real-time
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for dynamically inserting secondary content into a live stream or a video on demand (VOD). The secondary content can include, for example, a public service announcement or warning, censoring content, live or prerecorded commentary, an advertisement, or any other type of content to be integrated with or inserted into the main content. Example methods may include receiving a content stream including a first fragment having a first duration and a second fragment having the first duration. Certain methods may include determining an increased quality of service associated with encoding the content stream into fragments having a second duration. Certain methods may include generating, based at least in part on the increased quality of service, a third fragment having the second duration, and sending the content stream having the third fragment to a user device.