Channel usage management in terrestrial distribution systems

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at an ad insertion device, ad schedules for an upcoming programming timeslot for a plurality of networks;

identifying, by the ad insertion device, at least one opportunity to insert a selected ad via a set of hidden channels during the upcoming programming timeslot based on the ad schedules;

retrieving, by the ad insertion device based on the identifying, stored hidden channel usage data for previous programming timeslots that correspond to the upcoming programming timeslot;

determining, by the ad insertion device, whether a likelihood of availability of at least one hidden channel of the set of hidden channels during the upcoming programming timeslot exceeds a first threshold level;

retrieving, by the ad insertion device based on a determination that the first threshold level is exceeded, ad insertion collision data for the previous programming timeslots;

determining, by the ad insertion device based on the collision data, whether a likelihood of a collision occurring on the set of hidden channels during the upcoming programming timeslot exceeds a second threshold level; and

sending, by the ad insertion device based on a determination that the second threshold level is not exceeded, an instruction to an interface device to insert the selected ad via the at least one hidden channel during the upcoming programming timeslot.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of networks comprises a set of first-tier networks and a set of lower-tier networks.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein receiving the ad schedules comprises:

receiving a schedule for designated market area (DMA) ads for insertion via the set of first-tier networks and the set of lower-tier networks; and

receiving an ad schedule for sub-DMA ads for the first-tier networks only, wherein the set of hidden channels are to be used to deliver the sub-DMA ads and are not to be used to deliver any of the DMA ads.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the selected ad comprises a geographic-based ad associated with the sub-DMA.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the selected ad comprises a demographic-based ad associated with only a portion of the sub-DMA, the method further comprising:

identifying a plurality of users within the sub-DMA that meet demographic criteria defined for the demographic-based ad.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the selected ad is to be inserted in the upcoming programming timeslot of one of the set of lower-tier networks.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring the upcoming programming timeslot to determine whether any collisions occur on the set of hidden channels;

generating collision data based on the monitoring; and

storing the collision data.

8. A device comprising:

a communication interface;

one or more memories that store instructions; and

one or more processors to execute the instructions to:

receive, via the communication interface, ad schedules for an upcoming programming timeslot for a plurality of networks;

identify, based on the ad schedules, at least one opportunity to insert a selected ad via a set of hidden channels during the upcoming programming timeslot;

retrieve, based on the identification, stored hidden channel usage data for previous programming timeslots that correspond to the upcoming programming timeslot;

determine whether a likelihood of availability of at least one hidden channel of the set of hidden channels during the upcoming programming timeslot exceeds a first threshold level;

retrieve, based on a determination that the first threshold level is exceeded, ad insertion collision data for the previous programming timeslots;

determine, based on the collision data, whether a likelihood of a collision occurring on the set of hidden channels during the upcoming programming timeslot exceeds a second threshold level; and

send, via the communication interface and based on a determination that the second threshold level is not exceeded, an instruction to an interface device to insert the selected ad via the at least one hidden channel during the upcoming programming timeslot.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of networks comprises a set of first-tier networks and a set of lower-tier networks.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein to receive the ad schedules the one or more processors further execute the instructions to:

receive a schedule for designated market area (DMA) ads for insertion via the set of first-tier networks and the set of lower-tier networks; and

receive an ad schedule for sub-DMA ads for the first-tier networks only, wherein the set of hidden channels are to be used to deliver the sub-DMA ads and are not to be used to deliver any of the DMA ads.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the selected ad comprises a geographic-based ad associated with the sub-DMA.

12. The device of claim 10 , wherein the selected ad comprises a demographic-based ad associated with only a portion of the sub-DMA, the one or more processors further execute the instructions to:

identify a plurality of users within the sub-DMA that meet demographic criteria defined for the demographic-based ad.

13. The device of claim 9 , wherein the selected ad is to be inserted in the upcoming programming timeslot of one of the set of lower-tier networks.

14. The device of claim 8 , wherein the device comprises an ad insertion device implemented in a video hub office.

15. A non-transitory storage medium storing instructions executable by a device to:

receive ad schedules for an upcoming programming timeslot for a plurality of networks;

identify, based on the ad schedules, at least one opportunity to insert a selected ad via a set of hidden channels during the upcoming programming timeslot;

retrieve, based on the identification, stored hidden channel usage data for previous programming timeslots that correspond to the upcoming programming timeslot;

determine whether a likelihood of availability of at least one hidden channel of the set of hidden channels during the upcoming programming timeslot exceeds a first threshold level;

retrieve, based on a determination that the first threshold level is exceeded, ad insertion collision data for the previous programming timeslots;

determine, based on the collision data, whether a likelihood of a collision occurring on the set of hidden channels during the upcoming programming timeslot exceeds a second threshold level; and

send, based on a determination that the second threshold level is not exceeded, an instruction to an interface device to insert the selected ad via the at least one hidden channel during the upcoming programming timeslot.

16. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of networks comprises a set of first-tier networks and a set of lower-tier networks.

17. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 16 , further storing instructions executable by the device to:

receive a schedule for designated market area (DMA) ads for insertion via the set of first-tier networks and the set of lower-tier networks; and

receive an ad schedule for sub-DMA ads for the first-tier networks only, wherein the set of hidden channels are to be used to deliver the sub-DMA ads and are not to be used to deliver any of the DMA ads.

18. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the selected ad comprises a geographic-based ad associated with the sub-DMA.

19. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the selected ad comprises a demographic-based ad associated with only a portion of the sub-DMA, further storing instructions executable by the device to:

identify a plurality of users within the sub-DMA that meet demographic criteria defined for the demographic-based ad.

20. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the selected ad is to be inserted in the upcoming programming timeslot of one of the set of lower-tier networks.