METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR LINKING MEDIA COMPONENTS

1 . A computer-implemented media rendering method, comprising:

one or more computer processors performing the following:

obtaining a data package including a first media component, a second media component, and an instruction; and

in accordance with the instruction:

performing a procedure for rendering the second media component;

subsequently determining whether the second media component was rendered via the procedure; and

in accordance with the determination, rendering the first media component conditional upon the determination being that the second media component was rendered;

wherein the instruction provides that the first media component is not rendered in an instance where the determination is that the second media component was not rendered.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first media component is a video.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the second media component is a companion banner.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the first and second media components are an advertisement.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the companion banner is a static media component.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second media components are rendered in a webpage.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

executing a web browser module to:

transmit to a content server a request for the webpage;

receive from the content server webpage data; and

render components of the webpage based on the webpage data;

executing a media rendering module to:

request the data package from a first media server;

provide the second media component to the web browser module; and

buffer the first media component in a memory;

executing the web browser module to:

beginning while the first media component is buffering in the memory, perform the procedure for rendering the second media component obtained from the media rendering module; and

conditional upon the second media component being rendered in the webpage as a result of the procedure, provide a notification of the rendering of the second media component to the media rendering component; and

executing the media rendering module to:

perform the determining step, wherein the determination that the second media component was rendered is made responsive to receipt of the notification; and

perform the rendering of the first media component.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein, in response to the request for the data package, an intermediate package is received, the intermediate package including a primary link to a second media server and a failover link to the first media server.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the instruction is a flag setting.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

comparing at least one keyword associated the first media component and at least one keyword associated with the second media component;

in accordance with the comparison, determining whether the first and second media components are related;

wherein, if a determination is made in the determining step that the first and second media components are not related, at least one of (a) the data package is not transmitted, (b) the first and second media components are not rendered, and (c) a notification of the first and second media components not being related is transmitted.

11 . A computer-implemented media rendering method, comprising:

one or more computer processors performing the following:

obtaining a data package including a first media component, a second media component, and an instruction; and

in accordance with the instruction:

performing a procedure for rendering the second media component;

subsequently determining whether the second media component was rendered via the procedure; and

either:

rendering the first media component if the determination is that the second media component was rendered; or

if the determination is that the second media component was not rendered, responsive to the determination, one of (a) requesting a new data package, (b) beginning or resuming a rendering of a third media component, the first media not being rendered, and (c) entering a waiting state without rendering of the first media component.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the determination that the second media component was not rendered is made responsive to expiration of a predetermined time period without receipt of a notification of rendering of the second media component.

13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

transmitting a request for the data package to a first media server;

responsive to the request for the data package, receiving from the first media server an intermediate package that includes a primary link to a second media server and a failover link to the first media server; and

communicating with the second media server via the primary link to receive the data package;

wherein:

if the determination is that the second media component was not rendered, responsive to the determination, the new data package is requested; and

the request for the new data package is made via the failover link.

14 . A computer-implemented media rendering method, comprising:

one or more computer processors performing the following:

executing a web browser module to:

request a webpage from a first server;

receive from the first server webpage data, transmitted by the first server in response to the request for the webpage;

render components of the webpage using the received webpage data; and

in accordance with the webpage data, invoke a media rendering module;

responsive to the invocation, executing the media rendering module to:

obtain a data package including a first media component, a second media component, and a linking instruction;

provide to the web browser module the second media component and, in response to the linking instruction, a notification instruction; and

buffer data of the first media component;

executing the web browser module to:

responsive to the provision of the second media component and beginning while the data of the first media component is being buffered in the memory, perform a procedure for rendering the second media component; and

in accordance with the notification instruction, if the second media component is rendered in the webpage as a result of the procedure, provide a notification of the rendering of the second media component to the media rendering component; and

executing the media rendering module to determine whether the notification has been received from the web browser module within a predetermined time period, the first media component being rendered in the webpage from the memory conditional upon a determination that the notification has been received.

15 . A system for rendering media, comprising:

a computer processors configured to:

obtain a data package including a first media component, a second media component, and an instruction; and

in accordance with the instruction:

perform a procedure for rendering the second media component;

subsequently determine whether the second media component was rendered via the procedure; and

in accordance with the determination, render the first media component conditional upon the determination being that the second media component was rendered, the first media component not being rendered where the determination is that the second media component was not rendered.

16 . A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a computer processor, the instructions which, when executed, cause the computer processor to perform a media rendering method, the media rendering method comprising:

obtaining a data package including a first media component, a second media component, and an instruction; and

in accordance with the instruction:

performing a procedure for rendering the second media component;

subsequently determining whether the second media component was rendered via the procedure; and

in accordance with the determination, rendering the first media component conditional upon the determination being that the second media component was rendered, the first media component not being rendered where the determination is that the second media component was not rendered.

17 . A computer-implemented method for providing media content, comprising:

in response to a request for media content, transmitting, by a computer processor, a data package including a first media component, a second media component, and an instruction including code that causes a receiver of the data package to, in accordance with a determination of whether the second media component has been rendered, determine whether to render the first media component;

wherein the instruction makes rendering of the first media component conditional on the rendering of the second media component.