Augmenting dynamic ad insertion inventory with unused inventory

1. A method for augmenting network operator ad inventory in a Video-On-Demand (VOD) session provided as a VOD stream to a customer computing device via a cable modem termination system (CMTS), comprising:

determining, by an ad router server, whether an ad response message from a programmer server indicates any unused programmer ad inventory is available for the VOD session and a rules response message for the VOD session includes an indication that an ad inventory rule allows for transfer of unused ad inventory, wherein the unused programmer ad inventory is one or more ad placement opportunities in the VOD session not filled with an ad selected by the programmer server after an opportunity to do so;

generating, by the ad router server, a Video Ad Serving Template (VAST) request to a network operator server in response to the ad response message from the programmer server indicating unused programmer ad inventory is available for the VOD session and the rules response message for the VOD session including the indication that the ad inventory rule allows for transfer of unused ad inventory, wherein the VAST request indicates both pre-assigned network operator ad inventory and the unused programmer ad inventory;

sending, from the ad router server, the VAST request to the network operator server;

receiving, at the ad router server, a VAST response from the network operator server, wherein the VAST response from the network operator server indicates at least one ad identifier assigned to the unused programmer ad inventory; and

sending, by the ad router server, an ad list for the VOD session to a VOD server in communication with the CMTS providing the VOD stream to the customer computing device, the ad list for the VOD session including the at least one ad identifier assigned to the unused programmer ad inventory.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, at the ad router server, the rules response message for the VOD session from a server of the network operator;

generating, by the ad router server, a VAST request to the programmer server in response to receiving the rules response message for the VOD session;

sending, from the ad router, the VAST request to the programmer server.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the VAST request to the network operator server is generated based at least in part on the rules response message for the VOD session from the server of the network operator.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating, by the ad router server, one or more ad metrics based on the ad list; and

sending, from the ad router server, the ad metrics to a server of the network operator.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the ad router server, whether the VAST response from the network operator server indicates any unused network operator ad inventory is available for the VOD session;

generating, by the ad router server, an VAST request to the programmer server in response to the VAST response from the network operator server indicating unused network operator ad inventory is available for the VOD session, wherein the VAST request indicates the unused network operator ad inventory; and

sending, from the ad router server, the VAST request to the programmer server.

6. An ad router server, comprising:

a processor configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:

determining whether an ad response message from a programmer server indicates any unused programmer ad inventory is available for a Video-On-Demand (VOD) session provided as a VOD stream to a customer computing device via a cable modem termination system (CMTS) and a rules response message for the VOD session includes an indication that an ad inventory rule allows for transfer of unused ad inventory, wherein the unused programmer ad inventory is one or more ad placement opportunities in the VOD session not filled with an ad selected by the programmer server after an opportunity to do so;

generating a Video Ad Serving Template (VAST) request to a network operator server in response to the ad response message from the programmer server indicating unused programmer ad inventory is available for the VOD session, wherein the VAST request indicates both pre-assigned network operator ad inventory and the unused programmer ad inventory;

sending the VAST request to the network operator server;

receiving a VAST response from the network operator server, wherein the VAST response from the network operator server indicates at least one ad identifier assigned to the unused programmer ad inventory; and

sending an ad list for the VOD session to a VOD server in communication with the CMTS providing the VOD stream to the customer computing device, the ad list for the VOD session including the at least one ad identifier assigned to the unused programmer ad inventory.

7. The server of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

receiving the rules response message for the VOD session from a server of the network operator;

generating a VAST request to the programmer server in response to receiving the rules response message for the VOD session;

sending the VAST request to the programmer server.

8. The server of claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that the VAST request to the network operator server is generated based at least in part on the rules response message for the VOD session from the server of the network operator.

9. The server of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

generating one or more ad metrics based on the ad list; and

sending the ad metrics to a server of the network operator.

10. The server of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether the VAST response from the network operator server indicates any unused network operator ad inventory is available for the VOD session;

generating an VAST request to the programmer server in response to the VAST response from the network operator server indicating unused network operator ad inventory is available for the VOD session, wherein the VAST request indicates the unused network operator ad inventory; and

sending the VAST request to the programmer server.

11. A non-transitory processor readable medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor of an ad router server to perform operations comprising:

determining whether an ad response message from a programmer server indicates any unused programmer ad inventory is available for a Video-On-Demand (VOD) session provided as a VOD stream to a customer computing device via a cable modem termination system (CMTS) and a rules response message for the VOD session includes an indication that an ad inventory rule allows for transfer of unused ad inventory, wherein the unused programmer ad inventory is one or more ad placement opportunities in the VOD session not filled with an ad selected by the programmer server after an opportunity to do so;

generating a Video Ad Serving Template (VAST) request to a network operator server in response to the ad response message from the programmer server indicating unused programmer ad inventory is available for the VOD session, wherein the VAST request indicates both pre-assigned network operator ad inventory and the unused programmer ad inventory;

sending the VAST request to the network operator server;

receiving a VAST response from the network operator server, wherein the VAST response from the network operator server indicates at least one ad identifier assigned to the unused programmer ad inventory; and

sending an ad list for the VOD session to a VOD server in communication with the CMTS providing the VOD stream to the customer computing device, the ad list for the VOD session including the at least one ad identifier assigned to the unused programmer ad inventory.

12. The non-transitory processor readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of an ad router server to perform operations further comprising:

receiving the rules response message for the VOD session from a server of the network operator;

generating a VAST request to the programmer server in response to receiving the rules response message for the VOD session;

sending the VAST request to the programmer server.

13. The non-transitory processor readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of an ad router server to perform operations such that the VAST request to the network operator server is generated based at least in part on the rules response message for the VOD session from the server of the network operator.

14. The non-transitory processor readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of an ad router server to perform operations further comprising:

generating one or more ad metrics based on the ad list; and

sending the ad metrics to a server of the network operator.

15. The non-transitory processor readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of an ad router server to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether the VAST response from the network operator server indicates any unused network operator ad inventory is available for the VOD session;

generating an VAST request to the programmer server in response to the VAST response from the network operator server indicating unused network operator ad inventory is available for the VOD session, wherein the VAST request indicates the unused network operator ad inventory; and

sending the VAST request to the programmer server.