Method and apparatus for browser based advertisement insertion

摘要

Content is downloaded to a mobile handheld device (MHD) and buffered on the MHD prior to, and during, viewing. Normal wireless bandwidth varies with atmospheric conditions, distance, obstructions in the path, etc. and hence the speed at which a content-buffer (CB) on the MHD is replenished changes. Because this can result in very low quality viewing experience for the user, the capability for alternate content scheduling provided a micro-splicer is used to enable stored alternate content or advertisement insertion during periods of low viewing quality, when the CB does not hold sufficient content during the viewing period. This alternate content insertion allows the CB to be refilled before the user resumes content viewing.

主权项

1. A method for improving viewing quality on a mobile handheld device (MHO) comprising the steps of:
receiving, at the MHO, an initiation of viewing of content on the MHD at the start of the process; immediately responsive to receiving said initiation of view of content, receiving and loading said content in real-time from a remote source over a wireless medium into a second buffer; responsive to receiving said initiation of view of content, simultaneously loading alternate content from a storage containing pre-downloaded alternate content into a first buffer; checking, by a threshold checker, a fill status of the second buffer: if the second buffer fill status is below an empty threshold value, stopping, by a micro-splicer, loading a display buffer from the second buffer and starting loading the display buffer from the first buffer using the pre-downloaded alternate content; monitoring the second buffer to detect when the fill status reaches a fill threshold value; when the second buffer reaches the fill threshold value, stopping, by the microsplicer, the loading of the display buffer from the first buffer at the end of the current loading alternate content and beginning loading the display buffer from the second buffer; when the second buffer fill status is below an empty threshold value at a second time, stopping, by the micro-splicer, loading the display buffer from the second buffer and starting loading the display buffer from the first buffer using the pre-downloaded alternate content; checking, by the threshold checker, for an end-of-content-file (EOCF) in the second buffer and when the EOCF is recognized while the display buffer is being loaded from the first buffer, stopping, by the micro-splicer loading the display buffer from the first buffer and starting loading the display buffer from the second buffer after completion of the current alternate content to the EOCF; and rendering content loaded in the display buffer and sending the rendered content to the display screen and display on the display screen.