Pre-Encoded Media Manifests for Immediate Playback and Dynamic Content
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI) in video-on-demand (VOD) streaming introduce delays and increase costs due to maintaining client sessions for the entire duration of the asset, while failing to provide immediate playback of the first frame and limiting user control over non-programming content.
Innovation Solution
A system for publishing a disparate per-client live media output stream with dynamic insertion of targeted non-programming content and customized programming content, using a DACIS to generate and manage pre-encoded media assets for immediate playback, allowing seamless transitions and user-controlled content insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If SSAI systems insert non-programming content into VOD manifests, then advertising revenue and content personalization are improved, but playback delay increases and user experience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-processing the VOD manifest to identify and mark content insertion points before actual playback. Ad decisions are made upfront based on user profile and content metadata, so that when playback starts, the manifest is already prepared with minimal delay, resolving the contradiction between revenue generation and immediate playback.
Solution Approach 2:
The VOD manifest is segmented into discrete content blocks with identified insertion points for non-programming content. This segmentation allows the system to prepare only necessary portions of the manifest in advance rather than processing the entire content, reducing overall playback delay while still enabling targeted advertising insertion.
2Adaptability or versatility
If SSAI systems treat VOD assets as live streams for dynamic content insertion, then content personalization is improved, but session maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic content insertion for VOD assets without maintaining full live stream sessions. It uses dynamic decision-making based on user profiles and content metadata at insertion points, allowing personalization benefits while avoiding the continuous resource consumption of live session maintenance, thus resolving the cost-personalization contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts only the essential dynamic decision-making components from live stream processing, applying them selectively at content insertion points in VOD manifests rather than maintaining continuous live session state. This extraction enables personalization without the full overhead of session maintenance costs.
3Loss of information
If SSAI systems insert multiple advertisement breaks in VOD content, then advertising revenue is improved, but manifest delivery delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple advertisement break points are identified and prepared in advance during manifest processing. The system pre-calculates insertion points and prepares ad decision parameters for all breaks before playback, reducing the complexity of real-time manifest delivery while maintaining multiple revenue-generating advertisement opportunities.
4Ease of operation
If brand logo is played during advertisement insertion process, then delay is hidden from user, but first frame availability is not improved
Solution Approach 1:
The manifest and initial content segments are prepared in advance before playback starts, so the first frame is immediately available when requested. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for brand logo masking, as the actual content delivery is already optimized to provide immediate first frame availability while maintaining good user perception.
Data Source
AI summary
A system is provided for managing a pre-encoded media asset for immediate playback. The system generates, based on a receipt of an initial manifest request from a first client device, an initial pre-encoded media asset manifest that comprises an initial set of programming content segments. The generated initial pre-encoded media asset manifest, as a first disparate live media output stream manifest, is communicated to a media player of the first client device via a content delivery system for an immediate playback of a pre-encoded media asset. The system assigns a unique SID to the first client device to record a session of the first client device for a subsequent manifest request or a final manifest request associated with the initial manifest request. A final pre-encoded media asset manifest is generated upon a receipt of the subsequent manifest request from the first client device based on a defined criterion.