Content-modification system with responsive transmission of reference fingerprint data feature

1. A method for use in connection with a content-modification system that includes a content-distribution system and a content-presentation device, the method comprising:

identifying an upcoming content modification opportunity on an identified channel, wherein the identifying is based on detecting a match between first reference fingerprint data representing an initial portion of a modifiable content-segment and query fingerprint data representing content transmitted by the content-distribution system to the content-presentation device, wherein the first reference fingerprint data was generated before the query fingerprint data was generated; and

responsive to identifying the upcoming content modification opportunity, transmitting to the content-presentation device, second reference fingerprint data representing the initial portion of the modifiable content-segment and an additional portion of the modifiable content-segment to facilitate the content-presentation device to, at a later time, continue performing a content-modification operation related to the identified content modification opportunity, wherein transmitting the second reference fingerprint data to the content-presentation device comprises transmitting the second reference fingerprint data to the content-presentation device before portions of the modifiable content-segment represented by the second reference fingerprint data are being channeled through any portion of the content-distribution system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second reference fingerprint data represents the entire remaining portion of the modifiable content-segment.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting the second reference fingerprint data occurs while supplemental content is being transmitted to the content-presentation device for use in connection with the content-presentation device performing the content-modification operation.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising responsive to identifying the upcoming content modification opportunity on the identified channel, identifying a content-presentation device tuned to the identified channel, and wherein transmitting the second reference fingerprint data to the content-presentation device comprises transmitting the second reference fingerprint data to the identified content-presentation device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the query fingerprint data is first query fingerprint data, and wherein the content-presentation device is configured to perform a set of acts comprising:

receiving the transmitted second reference fingerprint data;

detecting a match between at least a portion of the received second reference fingerprint data and at least a portion of second query fingerprint data representing content received by the content-presentation device; and

responsive to detecting the match, continuing to perform the content-modification operation.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the content-modification operation is a content replacement operation.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed by a fingerprint-matching server of the content-modification system.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting to the content-presentation device second reference fingerprint data representing the initial portion of the modifiable content-segment and an additional portion of the modifiable content-segment before the portions of the modifiable content-segment represented by the second reference fingerprint data are being channeled through any portion of the content-distribution system comprises transmitting, to the content-presentation device, second reference fingerprint data representing an entirety of the modifiable content-segment before the entirety of the modifiable content-segment is being channeled through any portion of the content-distribution system.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having stored thereon program instructions that, upon execution by a processor, cause performance of a set of operations for use in connection with a content-modification system that includes a content-distribution system and a content-presentation device, the set of operations comprising:

identifying an upcoming content modification opportunity on an identified channel, wherein the identifying is based on detecting a match between first reference fingerprint data representing an initial portion of a modifiable content-segment and query fingerprint data representing content transmitted by the content-distribution system to the content-presentation device, wherein the first reference fingerprint data was generated before the query fingerprint data was generated; and

responsive to identifying the upcoming content modification opportunity, transmitting, to the content-presentation device, second reference fingerprint data representing the initial portion of the modifiable content-segment and an additional portion of the modifiable content-segment to facilitate the content-presentation device to, at a later time, continue performing a content-modification operation related to the identified content modification opportunity, wherein transmitting the second reference fingerprint data to the content-presentation device comprises transmitting the second reference fingerprint data to the content-presentation device before the portions of the modifiable content-segment represented by the second reference fingerprint data are being channeled through any portion of the content-distribution system.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the second reference fingerprint data represents the entire remaining portion of the modifiable content-segment.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the transmitting the second reference fingerprint data occurs while supplemental content is being transmitted to the content-presentation device for use in connection with the content-presentation device performing the content-modification operation.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , the set of operations further comprising responsive to identifying the upcoming content modification opportunity on the identified channel, identifying a content-presentation device tuned to the identified channel, and wherein transmitting the second reference fingerprint data to the content-presentation device comprises transmitting the second reference fingerprint data to the identified content-presentation device.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the query fingerprint data is first query fingerprint data, and wherein the content-presentation device is configured to perform a set of acts comprising:

receiving the transmitted second reference fingerprint data;

detecting a match between at least a portion of the received second reference fingerprint data and at least a portion of second query fingerprint data representing content received by the content-presentation device; and

responsive to detecting the match, continuing to perform the content-modification operation.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the content-modification operation is a content replacement operation.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein transmitting to the content-presentation device second reference fingerprint data representing the initial portion of the modifiable content-segment and the additional portion of the modifiable content-segment before the portions of the modifiable content-segment represented by the second reference fingerprint data are being channeled through any portion of the content-distribution system comprises transmitting, to the content-presentation device, second reference fingerprint data representing an entirety of the modifiable content-segment before the entirety of the modifiable content-segment is being channeled through any portion of the content-distribution system.

16. A computing system for use in connection with a content-modification system that includes a content-distribution system and a content-presentation device, the computing system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having stored thereon program instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause performance of a set of operations comprising:

identifying an upcoming content modification opportunity on an identified channel, wherein the identifying is based on detecting a match between first reference fingerprint data representing an initial portion of a modifiable content-segment and query fingerprint data representing content transmitted by a content-distribution system to a content-presentation device, wherein the first reference fingerprint data was generated before the query fingerprint data was generated; and

responsive to identifying the upcoming content modification opportunity, transmitting, to the content-presentation device, second reference fingerprint data representing the initial portion of the modifiable content-segment and an additional portion the modifiable content-segment to facilitate the content-presentation device to, at a later time, continue performing a content-modification operation related to the identified content modification opportunity, wherein transmitting the second reference fingerprint data to the content-presentation device comprises transmitting the second reference fingerprint data to the content-presentation device before the portions of the modifiable content-segment represented by the second reference fingerprint data are being channeled through any portion of the content-distribution system.

17. The computing system of claim 16 , wherein the second reference fingerprint data represents the entire remaining portion of the modifiable content-segment.

18. The computing system of claim 16 , wherein the transmitting the second reference fingerprint data occurs while supplemental content is being transmitted to the content-presentation device for use in connection with the content-presentation device performing the content-modification operation.

19. The computing system of claim 16 , the set of operations further comprising responsive to identifying the upcoming content modification opportunity on the identified channel, identifying a content-presentation device tuned to the identified channel, and wherein transmitting the second reference fingerprint data to the content-presentation device comprises transmitting the second reference fingerprint data to the identified content-presentation device.

20. The computing system of claim 16 , wherein the query fingerprint data is first query fingerprint data, and wherein the content-presentation device is configured to perform a set of acts comprising:

receiving the transmitted second reference fingerprint data;

detecting a match between at least a portion of the received second reference fingerprint data and at least a portion of second query fingerprint data representing content received by the content-presentation device; and

responsive to detecting the match, continuing to perform the content-modification operation.