Akamai Technologies, Inc.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MIDSTREAM SELECTION OF CONTENT TO INSERT INTO A MEDIA STREAM

Abstract:

An index file for an on-demand media stream (such as video-on-demand) is analyzed to determine one or more content insertion points, also referred to as cue points. The streaming platform modifies the index file such that the streaming platform can select the content to insert later on, preferably making that selection after the index file has been served and preferably a short time before the cue point in the stream. Put another way, the decision as to which content to insert at such points is not predetermined at the time of serving the index file. In this way, content insertions decisions can be made midstream.