Forwarding video content

1. A method for implementing forwarding in playback of video content at a video playback device, in which the video content is associated with commercials including at least one linear advert and at least one non-linear advert, the method comprising:

playing the video content at the video playback device;

receiving at the video playback device a command to forward the video content from time t 1 to time t 2 ;

determining a set of linear adverts that are skipped in forwarding the video content from time t 1 to time t 2 , and determining a set of non-linear adverts that are skipped in forwarding the video content from time t 1 to time t 2 , wherein the determined sets are subsets of all the commercials that could have been shown between time t 1 and time t 2 , excluding commercials between time t 1 and time t 2 for which it cannot be verified a trigger condition would have validly occurred between time t 1 and time t 2 ;

accessing a programmable function for determining playback of the set of linear adverts and the set of non-linear adverts that are skipped;

accessing a plurality of criteria for the playback of the set of linear adverts and the set of non-linear adverts that are skipped, the criteria comprising maximizing number of commercials that are shown and minimizing impact on end-user experience;

selecting at least one of the plurality of criteria for linear adverts and at least one of the plurality of criteria for non-linear adverts;

dynamically programming a first programmable function for linear adverts in dependence on the selected criteria for linear adverts;

dynamically programming a second programmable function for non-linear adverts in dependence on the selected criteria for non-linear adverts;

applying the dynamically programmed first programmable function for linear adverts to determine a playback subset of linear adverts that are skipped for playback after time t 2 when the forwarded video content is played at time t 2 ;

applying the dynamically programmed second programmable function for non-linear adverts to determine a playback subset of non-linear adverts that are skipped for playback after time t 2 when the forwarded video content is played at time t 2 ;

playing, from time t 2 , the subset of linear adverts that are determined for playback from time t 2 ;

playing the video content on completion of the playing of the determined subset of linear adverts after time t 2 ; and

playing the subset of non-linear adverts that are determined for playback after resumption of video playback.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing an identity of the subset of linear adverts and the subset of non-linear adverts that are skipped, applying the dynamically programmed first programmable function and the dynamically programmed second programmable function to the stored identities, and creating a modified list of linear adverts and non-linear adverts, respectively.

3. The method of claim 1 in which the first programmable function and the second programmable function are dynamically programmed according to the video playback device.

4. The method of claim 3 in which the first programmable function and the second programmable function are dynamically programmed differently for different devices associated with a same user.

5. The method of claim 1 in which both the criteria of minimizing an impact on an end-user and maximizing a number of commercials shown are selected.

6. A non-transitory computer program medium for storing computer program code which, when executed on a computing device, performs the method of claim 1 .

7. A video playback device for playing video content associated with commercials including at least one linear advert and at least one non-linear advert, the device being configured, in dependence on forwarding of the video content, to:

play the video content;

receive a command to forward the video content from time t 1 to time t 2 ;

determine a set of linear adverts and a set of non-linear adverts that are skipped in forwarding the video content from time t 1 to time t 2 wherein the determined sets are subsets of all the commercials that could have been shown between time t 1 and time t 2 , excluding commercials between time t 1 and time t 2 for which it cannot be verified a trigger condition would have validly occurred between time t 1 and time t 2 ;

access a programmable function for determining playback of the set of linear adverts and the set of non-linear adverts that are skipped;

access a plurality of criteria for the playback of the set of linear adverts and the set of non-linear adverts that are skipped, the criteria comprising maximizing number of commercials that are shown and minimizing impact on end-user experience;

select at least one of the plurality of criteria for the set of linear adverts and at least one of the plurality of criteria for the set of non-linear adverts;

dynamically program a first programmable function for the set of linear adverts in dependence on the selected criteria;

dynamically program a second programmable function for the set of non-linear adverts in dependent on the selected criteria;

apply the dynamically programmed first programmable function for the set of linear adverts to determine a playback subset of linear adverts that are skipped when the forwarded video content is played at time t 2 in dependence on the at least one criterion;

apply the dynamically programmed second programmable function for the set of non-linear adverts to determine a playback subset of non-linear adverts that are skipped when the forwarded video content is played at time t 2 in dependence on the at least one criterion;

play, from time t 2 , the subset of linear adverts that are determined for playback from time t 2 ;

play the video content on completion of the playing of the determined subset of linear adverts after time t 2 ; and

playing the subset of non-linear adverts that are determined for playback after resumption of video playback.

8. The video playback device of claim 7 further comprising:

a memory configured to store identities of the linear adverts and the non-linear adverts that are skipped, apply the dynamically programmed first programmable function and the dynamically programmed second programmable function to the stored identities, and create a modified list of linear adverts and the non-linear adverts.

9. A plurality of devices each including a video playback device according to claim 7 , in which the video playback device of at least one device is dynamically programmed to have a different programmable functionality from other video playback devices.

10. The plurality of devices of claim 9 in which the plurality of devices are associated with a same user.