Method and apparatus for inserting digital media advertisements into statistical multiplexed streams
View Patent ↗A method and system for the insertion of local signals, including digital media advertisements, into statistically multiplexed streams is presented. The rate control and timing information is computed and is used to specify the insertion time and rate parameters for digital advertisements. In one embodiment, a maximum bit rate over the advertisement duration is specified. The maximum bit rate may be constant or may vary in time, such that high bit rate portions of the advertisement are supported. High bit rate portions of the advertisements in different program streams may be staggered, such that the total bandwidth required does not exceed a maximum, but allowing for high bit rate portions of advertisements. Custom bit rate profiles for advertisements may also be defined, with the profiles being defined at a high granularity or a low granularity.
1. A digital media advertisement compression system for inserting advertisements into a statistically multiplexed digital transmission stream containing a plurality of digital program streams with a plurality of advertising opportunities, the system comprising:
a determination module for determining a first bit rate profile for a first advertising opportunity and a second bit rate profile for a second advertising opportunity and for specifying a predetermined bit rate profile for compression of a first digital media advertisement and a second digital media advertisement, wherein the predetermined bit rate profile is based on the first and second bit rate profiles;
a compression module for compressing the first digital media advertisement and the second digital media advertisement according to the predetermined bit rate profile, such that the predetermined bit rate profile provides a limit to the sum of the bitrates bit rates of the first and second digital media advertisements; and
an insertion module for inserting the compressed digital media advertisements into the statistically multiplexed digital transmission stream within the first and second advertising opportunities.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the determination module specifies the predetermined bit rate profile as the sum of the first bit rate profile and the second bit rate profile.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the determination module specifies the predetermined bit rate profile as the total bits from the start point to the end point of both the first bit rate profile and the second bit rate profile.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first bit rate profile is complementary with the second bit rate profile.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first bit rate profile has a first high bit rate portion, the second bit rate profile has a second high bit rate portion, and the first high bit rate portion and the second high bit rate portion are staggered.
6. A computer-implemented method of a set top box compressing digital media advertisements for insertion into a statistically multiplexed digital transmission stream containing a plurality of digital program streams with a plurality of advertising opportunities, the computer-implemented method comprising:
(a) determining, at the set top box, a first bit rate profile for a first advertising opportunity;
(b) specifying a predetermined bit rate profile for compression of a first digital media advertisement and a second digital media advertisement, wherein the predetermined bit rate profile is based on the first and second bit rate profiles;
(c) compressing the first digital media advertisement and the second digital media advertisement according to the predetermined bit rate profile, such that the predetermined bit rate profile provides a limit to the sum of the bit rates of the first and second digital media advertisements; and
(d) inserting the compressed digital media advertisements into the statistically multiplexed digital transmission stream within the first and second advertising opportunities.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the predetermined bit rate profile specifies the instantaneous sum of the first bit rate profile and the second bit rate profile.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the predetermined bit rate profile is the total bits from the start point to the end point of both the first bit rate profile and the second bit rate profile.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first bit rate profile is complementary with the second bit rate profile.
10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first bit rate profile has a first high bit rate portion, the second bit rate profile has a second high bit rate portion, and the first high bit rate portion and the second high bit rate portion are staggered.
11. An article of manufacture for compressing digital media advertisements for insertion into a statistically multiplexed digital transmission stream containing a plurality of digital program streams with a plurality of advertising opportunities, the article of manufacture comprising non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:
(a) determining a first bit rate profile for a first advertising opportunity;
(b) specifying a predetermined bit rate profile for compression of a first digital media advertisement and a second digital media advertisement, wherein the predetermined bit rate profile is based on the first and second bit rate profiles;
(c) compressing the first digital media advertisement and the second digital media advertisement according to the predetermined bit rate profile, such that the predetermined bit rate profile provides a limit to the sum of the bit rates of the first and second digital media advertisements; and
(d) inserting the compressed digital media advertisements into the statistically multiplexed digital transmission stream within the first and second advertising opportunities.
12. The article of manufacture of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined bit rate profile specifies the instantaneous sum of the first bit rate profile and the second bit rate profile.
13. The article of manufacture of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined bit rate profile is the total bits from the start point to the end point of both the first bit rate profile and the second bit rate profile.
14. The article of manufacture of claim 11 , wherein the first bit rate profile is complementary with the second bit rate profile.
15. The article of manufacture of claim 11 , wherein the first bit rate profile has a first high bit rate portion, the second bit rate profile has a second high bit rate portion, and the first high bit rate portion and the second high bit rate portion are staggered.
16. An apparatus for compressing digital media advertisements for insertion into a statistically multiplexed digital transmission stream containing a plurality of digital program streams with a plurality of advertising opportunities, the apparatus comprising:
processing means for:
(a) determining a first bit rate profile for a first advertising opportunity and a second bit rate profile for a second advertising opportunity;
(b) specifying a predetermined bit rate profile for compression of a first digital media advertisement and a second digital media advertisement, wherein the predetermined bit rate profile is based on the first and second bit rate profiles;
(c) compressing the first digital media advertisement and the second digital media advertisement according to the predetermined bit rate profile, such that the predetermined bit rate profile provides a limit to the sum of the bit rates of the first and second digital media advertisements; and
(d) inserting the compressed digital media advertisements into the statistically multiplexed digital transmission stream within the first and second advertising opportunities.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the predetermined bit rate profile specifies the instantaneous sum of the first bit rate profile and the second bit rate profile.
18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the predetermined bit rate profile is the total bits from the start point to the end point of both the first bit rate profile and the second bit rate profile.
19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first bit rate profile is complementary with the second bit rate profile.
20. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first bit rate profile has a first high bit rate portion, the second bit rate profile has a second high bit rate portion, and the first high bit rate portion and the second high bit rate portion are staggered.