Streamlined advertisement integration in multi-rail splicer systems

1 . A method of inserting content in a multi-rail splicer system, comprising:

receiving, by a processing system in a server computing device, a first cue request message from a first splicer associated with a first rail in the multi-rail splicer system;

determining a first splice time value for the first splicer based on a time included in the received first cue request message;

receiving a second cue request message from a second splicer associated with a second rail in the multi-rail splicer system;

determining a second splice time value for the second splicer;

sending commands to the first and second splicers to insert a content stream into their respective rails at their determined splice time values;

multicasting the content stream to the first and second splicers, the content stream including audio, video, and an ad beacon in a data packet identifier (PID); and

consolidating content insertion results from the first and second splicers into a single verification file by marking a consolidated result as a success in response to determining that the content insertion results from the first splicer or the second splicer indicate a failure from an error code that is indicative of a non-critical failure.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether the second cue request message is received before a time threshold value,

wherein determining the second splice time value for the second splicer comprises determining the second splice time value for the second splicer based on one of:

a timestamp included in the received second cue request message in response to determining that the second cue request message is received before the time threshold value; or

an adjusted time value determined based on a time difference between the first and second splicers from a previous ad insertion break in response to determining that the second cue request message is not received before the time threshold value.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein

the consolidated result is marked as a success in response to determining that the content insertion results from the first splicer or the second splicer indicate a success.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the consolidating further comprises:

marking the consolidated result as a failure in response to determining that the content insertion results from the first splicer or the second splicer indicate a failure from an error code that is indicative of a critical failure.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the consolidating further comprises consolidating the content insertion results based on feedback from downstream devices indicating an active rail.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining success of content insertion operations based on a presence of the ad beacon in the PID.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein multicasting the content stream to the first splicer and the second splicer comprises synchronizing transmission of the content stream with the determined first and second splice time values.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the first cue request message from the first splicer associated with the first rail in the multi-rail splicer system further comprises monitoring program boundaries in the content stream against a schedule and automatically generating the first cue request message when the content stream approaches a predefined slot for advertisements.

9 . A computing device, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

receive a first cue request message from a first splicer associated with a first rail in a multi-rail splicer system;

determine a first splice time value for the first splicer based on a time included in the received first cue request message;

receive a second cue request message from a second splicer associated with a second rail in the multi-rail splicer system;

determine a second splice time value for the second splicer;

send commands to the first and second splicers to insert a content stream into their respective rails at their determined splice time values;

multicast the content stream to the first and second splicers, the content stream including audio, video, and an ad beacon in a data packet identifier (PID); and

consolidate content insertion results from the first and second splicers into a single verification file by marking a consolidated result as a success in response to determining that the content insertion results from the first splicer or the second splicer indicate a failure from an error code that is indicative of a non-critical failure.

10 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

determine whether the second cue request message is received before a time threshold value,

wherein determining the second splice time value for the second splicer comprises determining the second splice time value for the second splicer based on one of:

a timestamp included in the received second cue request message in response to determining that the second cue request message is received before the time threshold value; or

an adjusted time value determined based on a time difference between the first and second splicers from a previous ad insertion break in response to determining that the second cue request message is not received before the time threshold value.

11 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the consolidated result is marked as a success in response to determining that the content insertion results from the first splicer or the second splicer indicate a success.

12 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is configured such that the consolidating further comprises:

marking the consolidated result as a failure in response to determining that the content insertion results from the first splicer or the second splicer indicate a failure from an error code that is indicative of a critical failure.

13 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is configured such that the consolidating further comprises consolidating the content insertion results based on feedback from downstream devices indicating an active rail.

14 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine success of content insertion operations based on a presence of the ad beacon in the PID.

15 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to multicast the content stream to the first splicer and the second splicer by synchronizing transmission of the content stream with the determined first and second splice time values.

16 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

receive the first cue request message from the first splicer associated with the first rail in the multi-rail splicer system by monitoring program boundaries in the content stream against a schedule and automatically generating the first cue request message when the content stream approaches a predefined slot for advertisements.

17 . A non-transitory processor readable media having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processing system in a server computing device in a multi-rail splicer system to perform operations for content insertion, the operations comprising:

receiving a first cue request message from a first splicer associated with a first rail in the multi-rail splicer system;

determining a first splice time value for the first splicer based on a time included in the received first cue request message;

receiving a second cue request message from a second splicer associated with a second rail in the multi-rail splicer system;

determining a second splice time value for the second splicer;

sending commands to the first and second splicers to insert a content stream into their respective rails at their determined splice time values;

multicasting the content stream to the first and second splicers, the content stream including audio, video, and an ad beacon in a data packet identifier (PID); and

consolidating content insertion results from the first and second splicers into a single verification file by marking a consolidated result as a success in response to determining that the content insertion results from the first splicer or the second splicer indicate a failure from an error code that is indicative of a non-critical failure.

18 . The non-transitory processor readable media of claim 17 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the processing system to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether the second cue request message is received before a time threshold value,

wherein determining the second splice time value for the second splicer comprises determining the second splice time value for the second splicer based on one of:

a timestamp included in the received second cue request message in response to determining that the second cue request message is received before the time threshold value; or

an adjusted time value determined based on a time difference between the first and second splicers from a previous ad insertion break in response to determining that the second cue request message is not received before the time threshold value.

19 . The non-transitory processor readable media of claim 17 , wherein

the consolidated result is marked as a success in response to determining that the content insertion results from the first splicer or the second splicer indicate a success.

20 . The non-transitory processor readable media of claim 17 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the processing system to perform operations such that the consolidating further comprises:

marking the consolidated result as a failure in response to determining that the content insertion results from the first splicer or the second splicer indicate a failure from an error code that is indicative of a critical failure.

21 . The non-transitory processor readable media of claim 17 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the processing system to perform operations such that the consolidating further comprises consolidating the content insertion results based on feedback from downstream devices indicating an active rail.

22 . The non-transitory processor readable media of claim 17 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the processing system to perform operations further comprising:

determining success of content insertion operations based on a presence of the ad beacon in the PID.

23 . The non-transitory processor readable media of claim 17 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the processing system to perform operations such that the multicasting the content stream to the first splicer and the second splicer comprises synchronizing transmission of the content stream with the determined first and second splice time values.

24 . The non-transitory processor readable media of claim 17 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the processing system to perform operations such that the receiving the first cue request message from the first splicer associated with the first rail in the multi-rail splicer system further comprises monitoring program boundaries in the content stream against a schedule and automatically generating the first cue request message when the content stream approaches a predefined slot for advertisements.