Averting ad skipping in adaptive bit rate systems

摘要

An adaptive bit rate system uses adaptive streaming to deliver content to client devices capable of adaptive bit rate streaming. Techniques for averting or inhibiting ad skipping by an adaptive bit rate client device that receives media chunks from the adaptive bit rate system may include techniques for both live content and on demand content. Techniques include modifying a buffer size for access to trick plays and/or constructing a manifest file with limited content based on ad breaks.

主权项

1. A method for streaming media in an adaptive bit rate system, the method comprising:
responsive to a request for an on demand asset, identifying a first period in at least one of a plurality of differently encoded files of the on demand asset in which an adaptive bit rate media segment associated with the request for the on demand asset is located, identifying an ad break that is associated with the first period; generating a manifest file referencing adaptive bit rate media segments that occur within the first period of the at least one of the plurality of differently encoded files of the on demand asset for use by an adaptive bit rate client device for retrieval of the referenced media segments, following an indication that desired adaptive bit rate media segments during the first period have been retrieved, appending to the manifest file references to ad content associated with the ad break that is associated with the first period; waiting for a playback duration of the ad break to expire before appending to the manifest file references to adaptive bit rate media segments that occur within a second period of the at least one of the plurality of differently encoded files of the on demand asset, wherein said appendages to the manifest file include at least one of:
for the appending to the manifest file the references to said ad content associated with said ad break, omitting identification of I-frame playlists for the ad content, thereby impeding trick plays on the ad content during the playback duration, orfor the appending to the manifest file after the ad playback duration expires, adding to the manifest file references to I-frames of ad content in the ad break associated with the expired playback duration for facilitating trick plays on the already played back ad content.