SYSTEM FOR MEASURING VIDEO PLAYBACK EVENTS USING A SERVER GENERATED MANIFEST/PLAYLIST

• US 20170332113A1
• Filed: 05/09/2017
• Published: 11/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Haritaoglu, Ismail R., Harmanci, Oztan, Turgut, Alper
• Granted Patent: US 10,785,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234 Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating encoded video stream scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23418 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics television picture signal circuitry for scene change detection H04N5/147; filtering for image enhancement G06T5/00; methods or arrangements for recognising scenes G06V20/00; arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2353 specifically adapted to content descriptors, e.g. coding, compressing or processing of metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02

Abstract

An apparatus and method for using a server to generate per-user manifest files for providing unique viewing experiences and proxy modules local to video players receiving the manifest files for measuring video playback events with frame accuracy is disclosed. In one aspect, a server may be used to generate a manifest file for directing a video player to play requested video content in a video stream with advertising or other alternative content which may be desired. A proxy module local to the video player may parse the video stream to inject triggers at frame accurate locations which may be desired for measuring, such as at a precise frame in which the alternative content starts, stops, and/or reaches a midpoint with respect to the requested video content.

Claims

1. A system for managing video playback comprising:

a manifest server configured to communicate with a video player and a content delivery network, the manifest server executing a program stored in a non-transient medium operable to;

(a) receive a request from a video player for playing a video stream comprising requested content;

(b) upon receiving the request;

(i) communicate with a first content delivery network to obtain a first manifest file containing information for allowing a video player to play the requested content; and

(ii) communicate with a second content delivery network to obtain information for allowing a video player to play alternative content and produce a detectable event in connection with the alternative content; and

(c) modify the first manifest file to produce a second manifest file unique to the video player having the request, the second manifest file containing information for allowing the video player to play the requested content and the alternative content and produce the detectable event.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the detectable event is produced by a trigger configured to instruct a video player to respond.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the trigger instructs the video player to respond when a frame of the alternative content starts or stops.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the trigger instructs the video player to respond when the alternative content reaches a midpoint.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the manifest server stitches segments of the alternative content between segments of the requested content according to the second manifest file.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second manifest file includes a session identifier for identifying a connection between the manifest server and the video player having the request.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the information of the second manifest file includes a playlist providing an address at which the video stream can be retrieved and at least one of a data rate and a resolution for the video stream.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a measuring server in communication with the manifest server, wherein the measuring server stores the detectable event.

9. A method for managing video playback using a manifest server configured to communicate with a video player and a content delivery network, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a request from a video player for playing a video stream comprising requested content;

(b) upon receiving the request;

(i) communicating with a first content delivery network to obtain a first manifest file containing information for allowing a video player to play the requested content; and

(ii) communicating with a second content delivery network to obtain information for allowing a video player to play alternative content and produce a detectable event in connection with the alternative content; and

(c) modifying the first manifest file to produce a second manifest file unique to the video player having the request, the second manifest file containing information for allowing the video player to play the requested content and the alternative content and produce the detectable event.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the detectable event is produced by a trigger instructing a video player to respond.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the trigger instructing the video player to respond when a frame of the alternative content starts or stops.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the trigger instructing the video player to respond when the alternative content reaches a midpoint.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising the manifest server stitching segments of the alternative content between segments of the requested content according to the second manifest file.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising the second manifest file including a session identifier for identifying a connection between the manifest server and the video player having the request.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the information of the second manifest file includes a playlist providing an address at which the video stream can be retrieved and at least one of a data rate and a resolution for the video stream.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing the detectable event at a measuring server.

17. A system for managing video playback comprising:

an encoder configured to convert video content from a content provider to a segmented video stream for delivery to a video player; and

a video manager in communication with the encoder, the video manager executing a program stored in a non-transient medium operable to;

(a) receive metadata for insertion into a video stream; and

(b) insert the metadata at a desired frame location within the video stream.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the video manager is further operable to retrieve metadata from a content server corresponding to a trigger.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the video manager is further operable to execute a user interface and receive input from a user on the user interface identifying desired metadata for insertion into the video stream.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising a manifest server in communication with the video manager, the manifest server executing a program stored in a non-transient medium operable to communicate with a video player for providing a manifest file containing information for allowing a video player to play requested content.

21. A system for managing video playback comprising:

a video player configured to communicate with a manifest server and a content delivery network, the video player executing a proxy server stored in a non-transient medium operable to;

receive a request for a desired video content from a user interface on the video player;

transmit the request for the desired video content to the manifest server;

receive a custom manifest file from the manifest server, wherein the custom manifest file includes information to allow the video player to play the desired video content and information to allow the video player to play alternative video content; and

insert a frame accurate trigger within the desired video content.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein:

the custom manifest file further includes information for insertion of the frame accurate trigger, and

the proxy server inserts the frame accurate trigger within the desired video content responsive to the information in the custom manifest file.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the frame accurate trigger generates a detectable event transmitted to the manifest server to measure information related to playback of the desired video content.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the frame accurate trigger generates a detectable event for the video player, wherein the video player is further configured to launch at least one application responsive to the detectable event.