Granted Patent B1

US 12,294,745 · App. 18/378,098 · Granted May 6, 2025

Inventors: Ismail R. Haritaoglu (Palo Alto, CA); Oztan Harmanci (Mountain View, CA)

Assignee: Google LLC

H04N21/23424H04N21/232H04N21/2387

Abstract

Claims (49)

1. A method to manage video playback using a server configured to communicate with a plurality of video players and a content delivery network (CDN), the method comprising:

receiving a request from a first video player of the plurality of video players for playing a video stream;

identifying a first playlist for the video stream, the first playlist identifying a plurality of video content segments distributed to the CDN;

modifying the first playlist for the video stream to produce a second playlist identifying a first combination of video content segments and alternative content segments, the first combination defined based on one or more rules pertaining to at least one of the first video player or the video stream;

transmitting the second playlist to the first video player to allow the first video player to provide playback of video content comprising the first combination of the video content segments and the alternative content segments;

receiving, from the first video player, an indication of a request of a user of the first video player to seek forward when viewing the video content;

determining, based on a view history of the user of the first video player and the one or more rules pertaining to at least one of the first video player or the video stream, whether to allow the request of the user to seek forward, wherein determining whether to allow the request of the user to seek forward comprises:

determining the view history of the user of the first video player, the view history comprising an indication of viewing time of the user with respect to at least one of the video content segments and the alternative content segments;

modifying the second playlist for the video stream to produce a third playlist identifying a second combination of video content segments and alternative content segments, the second combination defined based on the one or more rules pertaining to at least one of the first video player or the video stream, and the viewing history of the user, the third playlist indicating whether the request of the user to seek forward is allowed; and

transmitting the third playlist to the first video player.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more rules direct the first video player to play alternative content in addition to playing the video stream.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more rules inhibit the first video player from skipping the alternative content.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more rules direct the first video player to play one or more segments of the alternative content before playing the video stream or after playing a predetermined amount of the video stream, in accordance with the view history comprising an indication of a total viewing time of the user with respect to the alternative content.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the view history further comprises an indication of a total viewing time of the user with respect to the video stream.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second playlist includes a session identifier for identifying a connection between the server and the first video player.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first playlist provides an address at which the video stream is to be retrieved and at least one of a data rate or a resolution for the video stream.

8. A system to manage video playback using a server configured to communicate with a plurality of video players and a content delivery network (CDN), the system comprising:

a memory; and

a processing device, coupled to the memory, to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request from a first video player of the plurality of video players for playing a video stream;

identifying a first playlist for the video stream, the first playlist identifying a plurality of video content segments distributed to the CDN;

modifying the first playlist for the video stream to produce a second playlist identifying a first combination of video content segments and alternative content segments, the first combination defined based on one or more rules pertaining to at least one of the first video player or the video stream;

transmitting the second playlist to the first video player to allow the first video player to provide playback of video content comprising the first combination of the video content segments and the alternative content segments;

receiving, from the first video player, an indication of a request of a user of the first video player to seek forward when viewing the video content;

determining, based on a view history of the user of the first video player and the one or more rules pertaining to at least one of the first video player or the video stream, whether to allow the request of the user to seek forward, wherein determining whether to allow the request of the user to seek forward comprises:

determining the view history of the user of the first video player, the view history comprising an indication of viewing time of the user with respect to at least one of the video content segments and the alternative content segments;

modifying the second playlist for the video stream to produce a third playlist identifying a second combination of video content segments and alternative content segments, the second combination defined based on the one or more rules pertaining to at least one of the first video player or the video stream, and the viewing history of the user, the third playlist indicating whether the request of the user to seek forward is allowed; and

transmitting the third playlist to the first video player.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more rules direct the first video player to play alternative content in addition to playing the video stream.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more rules inhibit the first video player from skipping the alternative content.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more rules direct the first video player to play one or more segments of the alternative content before playing the video stream or after playing a predetermined amount of the video stream, in accordance with the view history comprising an indication of a total viewing time of the user with respect to the alternative content.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the view history further comprises an indication of a total viewing time of the user with respect to the video stream.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the second playlist includes a session identifier for identifying a connection between the server and the first video player.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first playlist provides an address at which the video stream is to be retrieved and at least one of a data rate or a resolution for the video stream.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations to manage video playback using a server configured to communicate with a plurality of video players and a content delivery network (CDN), the operations comprising:

receiving a request from a first video player of the plurality of video players for playing a video stream;

identifying a first playlist for the video stream, the first playlist identifying a plurality of video content segments distributed to the CDN;

modifying the first playlist for the video stream to produce a second playlist identifying a first combination of video content segments and alternative content segments, the first combination defined based on one or more rules pertaining to at least one of the first video player or the video stream;

transmitting the second playlist to the first video player to allow the first video player to provide playback of video content comprising the first combination of the video content segments and the alternative content segments;

receiving, from the first video player, an indication of a request of a user of the first video player to seek forward when viewing the video content;

determining, based on a view history of the user of the first video player and the one or more rules pertaining to at least one of the first video player or the video stream, whether to allow the request of the user to seek forward, wherein determining whether to allow the request of the user to seek forward comprises:

determining the view history of the user of the first video player, the view history comprising an indication of viewing time of the user with respect to at least one of the video content segments and the alternative content segments;

modifying the second playlist for the video stream to produce a third playlist identifying a second combination of video content segments and alternative content segments, the second combination defined based on the one or more rules pertaining to at least one of the first video player or the video stream, and the viewing history of the user, the third playlist indicating whether the request of the user to seek forward is allowed; and

transmitting the third playlist to the first video player.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more rules direct the first video player to play alternative content in addition to playing the video stream.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the one or more rules inhibit the first video player from skipping the alternative content.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the one or more rules direct the first video player to play one or more segments of the alternative content before playing the video stream or after playing a predetermined amount of the video stream, in accordance with the view history comprising an indication of a total viewing time of the user with respect to the alternative content.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the view history further comprises an indication of a total viewing time of the user with respect to the video stream.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the second playlist comprises a session identifier for identifying a connection between the server and the first video player.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (240)