Shadow Impressions for Streaming Video Playback Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
During high-volume live streaming events, video streaming providers face challenges in determining whether previously sent video content has been played, leading to potential repeated playback and violations of playback restrictions due to the race condition between content retrieval and impression data availability.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of 'shadow impressions' which temporarily indicate that video content has been presented, allowing for better tracking of advertising budgets and frequency capping, even before actual impression data is received, thereby preventing repeated content delivery and ensuring compliance with playback limits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If video programming is sent to devices during high-volume live streaming events, then content delivery speed is improved, but repeated playback and playback restriction violations occur due to race conditions between content retrieval and impression data availability
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-assigns shadow impressions to video content before actual playback occurs. When video programming is retrieved for delivery, shadow impressions are created in advance, allowing the system to track and enforce playback restrictions even before actual impression data from devices is received. This preliminary action prevents race conditions by having playback tracking data ready before content delivery completes.
Solution Approach 2:
Shadow impressions act as an intermediary mechanism between content delivery and actual impression tracking. Instead of directly relying on real-time impression data from devices, the system uses shadow impressions as a intermediary layer that pre-represents playback events, enabling reliable playback restriction enforcement without waiting for actual device feedback.
2Reliability
If impression data is waited for before determining content availability, then playback restriction compliance is improved, but content delivery efficiency decreases due to waiting time
Solution Approach 1:
Shadow impressions are created in advance when video content is retrieved or assigned, rather than waiting for actual impression data from devices. This preliminary creation of playback tracking data eliminates waiting time while maintaining playback restriction compliance, as the shadow impressions already represent expected playback events.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates shadow impressions as copies or representations of actual impression data before the actual impressions occur. These shadow copies allow the system to enforce playback restrictions based on predicted playback events without needing to wait for real device feedback, thus maintaining both compliance and efficiency.
3Measurement precision
If shadow impressions are used to track content playback, then repeated playback is prevented and playback metrics tracking accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Shadow impressions are implemented as simple data structures or copies of impression data that mirror actual playback events. By using straightforward copying mechanisms rather than complex tracking algorithms, the system achieves accurate playback metrics while minimizing added complexity. The shadow impressions are essentially simplified representations that are easy to create, store, and compare.
Data Source
AI summary
Devices and methods are provided for using shadow impressions to control storage and delivery of streaming video content. The device may receive a request, the request associated with determining a group of streaming video advertisements for streaming video at a device. The device may determine, based on the request, a first advertisement, wherein the first advertisement is associated with a first number of impressions, wherein the first number of impressions includes a first number of shadow impressions. The device may determine not to include the first advertisement in the group of streaming video advertisements based on the first number of impressions exceeding a first playback threshold. The device may send the group of streaming video advertisements.