Media Manifest Tagging for Ad Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current media distribution technologies, such as the m3u8 format, lack the ability to control media players effectively, particularly when streaming content with advertisements, leading to issues like skipped ads and unmanaged playback experiences.
Innovation Solution
A system that extracts and parses tags from a media manifest file to perform actions during playback, such as disabling playback controls, and generates manifest files with embedded advertising chunks and control tags to manage media player interactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a manifest file (m3u8) is used to stream media chunks, then media distribution and playback is enabled, but the ability to control or guide the media player is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces tags as intermediary elements within the manifest file structure. These tags act as mediators between the content provider and the media player, enabling control instructions to be embedded within the existing manifest format without disrupting the chunked media delivery mechanism. The tags serve as a communication bridge that conveys playback control directives to the player.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges control functionality with the existing manifest file structure by embedding tags within the m3u8 format. Instead of creating a separate control mechanism, the control instructions are combined with the media chunk listings in the manifest file, allowing both media delivery and player control to be handled through a single integrated structure.
2Productivity
If advertisements are inserted into media content via manifest file, then advertising delivery is enabled, but control over advertisement playback (preventing skipping) is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by embedding control tags in advance within the manifest file during the content preparation phase. These tags pre-establish the rules for advertisement playback, such as preventing skipping or seeking during ad segments, before the actual playback occurs. This ensures that control mechanisms are already in place when the media player processes the manifest and begins playback.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms through tags that provide instructions to the media player about how to handle specific segments. The player responds to these tags by adjusting its behavior accordingly, such as disabling seek or fast-forward controls during advertised segments. This creates a feedback loop where the player's playback behavior is continuously guided by the control instructions in the manifest file.
3Loss of energy
If media content is divided into discrete chunks for streaming, then bandwidth efficiency is improved, but the ability to provide continuous playback experience is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes segmentation by dividing media content into discrete chunks organized in a manifest file, which enables efficient bandwidth utilization through selective loading and playback. The m3u8 format naturally segments the content into manageable units that can be streamed progressively, improving bandwidth efficiency while maintaining the ability to deliver continuous playback through proper sequencing.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for performing an action during playback based on a media manifest file. A system, such as a media player, configured to practice the method receives a media manifest, extracts, from the media manifest, a list of media chunks and at least one tag associated with the list of media chunks. The list of media chunks can describe two or more separate media assets. Then the system parses the at least one tag to identify an action to perform during playback and a playback position to perform the action. The system retrieves, for playback, at least one media chunk associated with the playback position from the list of media chunks, and, during playback of the at least one media chunk and at the playback position, performs the action. Modifying the media playback control can include temporarily disabling a media playback control.