Content-modification system with broadcast schedule utilization feature

1. A method comprising:

accessing broadcast-schedule data associated with a channel;

using the accessed broadcast-schedule data to identify an upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel; and

responsive to identifying the upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel, performing an action to facilitate a content-presentation device performing a content-modification operation related to the identified upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel,

wherein performing the action comprises causing in-band message data to be inserted into at least a portion of a content segment of a linear sequence of content segments being transmitted by a content-distribution system on the channel to the content-presentation device and being received by the content-presentation device on the channel, to facilitate the content-presentation device performing the content-modification operation, and

wherein the content-modification operation comprises the content-presentation device replacing a modifiable content-segment that is part of the linear sequence of content segments being transmitted to, and received by, the content-presentation device on the channel.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein using the accessed broadcast-schedule data to identify the upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel comprises:

accessing first broadcast-schedule data associated with the channel;

extracting, from among the accessed first broadcast-schedule data associated with the channel, second broadcast-schedule data related to one or more broadcast-related events scheduled within a predefined upcoming time-period; and

using the extracted second broadcast-schedule data to identify the upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein using the accessed broadcast-schedule data to identify the upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel comprises:

(i) detecting a match between the accessed broadcast-schedule data and reference data that corresponds with a reference modifiable content-segment; and

(ii) identifying the upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel based at least in part on the detected match.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein accessing broadcast-schedule data associated with the channel comprises accessing an industry standard coding identification (ISCI) key.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein accessing broadcast-schedule data associated with the channel comprises accessing a house identifier.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the in-band message data comprises an audio watermark.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the in-band message data comprises a video watermark.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the in-band message data specifies information about the identified upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the in-band message data specifies at least a portion of the accessed broadcast-schedule data.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the in-band message data specifies data derived from at least a portion of the accessed broadcast-schedule data.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the in-band message data specifies a start time of the upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the in-band message data specifies a duration of the upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing in-band message data to be inserted into the at least a portion of the content segment that is being transmitted by the content-distribution system on the channel comprises transmitting to the content-distribution system an instruction that causes the content-distribution system to insert specified in-band message data into the at least a portion of the content segment.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving the content segment with the inserted in-band message data;

extracting the in-band message data from the received content segment; and

using, by the content-presentation device, the extracted in-band message data to facilitate performing the content-modification operation related to the identified upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel.

15. 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 comprising:

accessing broadcast-schedule data associated with a channel;

using the accessed broadcast-schedule data to identify an upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel; and

responsive to identifying the upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel, performing an action to facilitate a content-presentation device performing a content-modification operation related to the identified upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel,

wherein performing the action comprises causing in-band message data to be inserted into at least a portion of a content segment of a linear sequence of content segments being transmitted by a content-distribution system on the channel to the content-presentation device and being received by the content-presentation device on the channel, to facilitate the content-presentation device performing the content-modification operation, and

wherein the content-modification operation comprises the content-presentation device replacing a modifiable content-segment that is part of the linear sequence of content segments being transmitted to, and received by, the content-presentation device on the channel.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein using the accessed broadcast-schedule data to identify the upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel comprises:

accessing first broadcast-schedule data associated with the channel;

extracting, from among the accessed first broadcast-schedule data associated with the channel, second broadcast-schedule data related to one or more broadcast-related events scheduled within a predefined upcoming time-period; and

using the extracted second broadcast-schedule data to identify the upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein using the accessed broadcast-schedule data to identify the upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel comprises:

(i) detecting a match between the accessed broadcast-schedule data and reference data that corresponds with a reference modifiable content-segment; and

(ii) identifying the upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel based at least in part on the detected match.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein accessing broadcast-schedule data associated with the channel comprises accessing an industry standard coding identification (ISCI) key.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein accessing broadcast-schedule data associated with the channel comprises accessing a house identifier.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the in-band message data comprises an audio watermark.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the in-band message data comprises a video watermark.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the in-band message data specifies information about the identified upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the in-band message data specifies at least a portion of the accessed broadcast-schedule data.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the in-band message data specifies data derived from at least a portion of the accessed broadcast-schedule data.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the in-band message data specifies a start-time of the upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the in-band message data specifies a duration of the upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein causing in-band message data to be inserted into the at least a portion of the content segment that is being transmitted by the content-distribution system on the channel comprises transmitting to the content-distribution system an instruction that causes the content-distribution system to insert specified in-band message data into the at least a portion of the content segment.

28. A 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:

accessing broadcast-schedule data associated with a channel;

using the accessed broadcast-schedule data to identify an upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel; and

responsive to identifying the upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel, performing an action to facilitate a content-presentation device performing a content-modification operation related to the identified upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel,

wherein performing the action comprises causing in-band message data to be inserted into at least a portion of a content segment of a linear sequence of content segments being transmitted by a content-distribution system on the channel to the content-presentation device and being received by the content-presentation device on the channel, to facilitate the content-presentation device performing the content-modification operation, and

wherein the content-modification operation comprises the content-presentation device replacing a modifiable content-segment that is part of the linear sequence of content segments being transmitted to, and received by, the content-presentation device on the channel.