Splicing Fake Commercials to Thwart IPTV Stream Removers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial removers can detect and remove commercials from IPTV streams by identifying artifacts in the data stream, potentially devaluing targeted advertising and causing income loss for content providers, while schemes that prevent artifacts are expensive and lack scalability.
Innovation Solution
Inserting spurious or fake commercials into the IPTV stream that mimic real commercials, using splicing techniques to create detectable artifacts that confuse commercial removers, allowing for targeted advertising and maintaining commercial content value.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If commercials are inserted into the program content stream using traditional splicing methods, then targeted advertising capability is enabled, but artifacts are left in the data stream that can be detected by commercial removers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates fake commercials that are copies of real commercials, complete with standardized lengths and typical commercial artifacts. These fake commercials are inserted into the program stream at positions where real commercials would normally appear, making them indistinguishable from actual commercials to commercial removers, thereby enabling targeted advertising without leaving detectable artifacts
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of trying to eliminate artifacts to avoid detection, the patent inverts the approach by deliberately creating artifacts that mimic real commercials. The fake commercials are designed to have the same standardized lengths and artifact patterns as real commercials, turning the detection mechanism against itself so that commercial removers incorrectly remove real commercials while leaving the fake ones
2Object-generated harmful factors
If schemes are used to prevent artifacts in the data stream by decoding and re-encoding compressed video streams, then commercial content can be inserted without leaving detectable artifacts, but the technology becomes expensive and does not scale well
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses simple copying and splicing operations to create fake commercials that mimic real commercials. Instead of using complex decoding and re-encoding processes, the system copies existing commercial segments and inserts them into program streams using standard splicing techniques, significantly reducing computational complexity and cost while maintaining the ability to thwart commercial removers
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs inexpensive, easily generated fake commercials that can be quickly created and inserted into streams. These fake commercials are simple copies of real commercials that can be generated on-demand without requiring expensive infrastructure, making the system cost-effective and scalable for large-scale commercial insertion operations
3Reliability
If fake commercials are inserted into the program stream to thwart commercial removers, then commercial value is maintained, but the system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the program content stream into distinct sections where fake commercials can be inserted. By dividing the stream into manageable segments and inserting fake commercials at specific positions between program content portions, the system maintains simplicity in implementation while effectively thwarting commercial removers and preserving commercial value
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the fake commercial insertion process with the existing commercial insertion infrastructure. By combining the creation and insertion of fake commercials with standard commercial splicing operations, the system avoids adding significant complexity while maintaining the ability to deceive commercial removers and protect commercial content value
Data Source
AI summary
In an IPTV network, a program content stream is processed to create an artifact detectable by a commercial remover in a program content portion of the program content stream. The artifact may be created by splicing first and second portions of program content together such that the artifact appears in the program content. A commercial remover processing the resultant program content stream erroneously removes portions of program content or leaves portions containing commercial content in the program content stream.