Video Manifest Auxiliary Information for Viewership Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current video distribution systems face challenges in efficiently tracking video content usage without requiring extensive processing power or database lookups, particularly in collecting viewership information from client requests.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating auxiliary information into video manifest links that do not affect the referenced blocks, allowing for quick retrieval of viewership data by filtering logs, and using redirection servers to simplify log handling and processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional video distribution tracking methods are used (requiring database lookups and extensive processing), then comprehensive viewership information can be collected, but processing power requirements and system complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-generating manifest files with embedded tracking links that contain auxiliary information about video blocks before the actual video streaming occurs. This allows the system to have tracking infrastructure ready in advance, eliminating the need for complex real-time database lookups and processing during video playback, thus reducing processing power requirements while maintaining comprehensive tracking capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating simplified log entries that replicate essential tracking information in a lightweight format. Instead of storing and querying complex database records, the system generates copyable log files containing key viewership data that can be processed efficiently, reducing system complexity while preserving measurement precision
2Loss of information
If comprehensive tracking of all video blocks is implemented, then complete usage data is obtained, but log size and processing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies extraction by selectively removing unnecessary data from log entries, keeping only the essential auxiliary information needed for viewership tracking. By extracting and retaining only critical tracking parameters while discarding redundant data, the system maintains complete and accurate viewership information while significantly reducing log file sizes and processing requirements
3Measurement precision
If auxiliary information is added to all links in the manifest, then complete tracking data is available, but manifest size and client processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selectively adding auxiliary information to specific links in the manifest based on their importance for tracking. Rather than uniformly adding data to all links, the system applies different tracking strategies to different video blocks (e.g., adding more tracking information to advertisement slots or key content blocks), ensuring complete tracking data availability while minimizing manifest size and client processing overhead
Data Source
AI summary
A method of video distribution including receiving a manifest including links to blocks, which blocks form at least a portion of a video program, selecting at least some of the links in the manifest, to which auxiliary information is to be added and adding, to each of the selected links, auxiliary information, which does not affect a block referred to by the link. A log of links requested by clients is retrieved from a storage unit, links relating to a specific video program are filtered from the retrieved log, and information on an extent to which the specific video program was viewed, is determined responsive to the filtered links.