Managing Media Playback

Abstract

Technology for managing playback of streaming media and ads associated therewith, is disclosed. Receiving a list indicating the location of ad pods in the stream and, optionally, indicating a list update time. Receiving instruction to play the stream forward from a seek point. Determining unplayed stream ads associated with locations from the list between the start and the seek point. Playing at least one determined ad. Optionally, playing at least one determined ad only upon determining that the list update time is greater than or equal to the seek point, otherwise, denying the seek point. Optionally after playing at least one determined ad, playing the stream from the seek point after playing the at least one determined ads. The list can be a list of cue points. Playing at least one determined ad can include playing the ad pod at the start of the stream section containing the seek point.

1 . A computer-implemented method for managing playback of a stream of streaming media; the stream having ads associated therewith, the stream characterized by a start at t 0 ; the method comprising:
 receiving a list indicating the location of each of at least one ad pod in the stream;   receiving instruction to play the stream forward from a seek point;   determining unplayed stream ads associated with locations from the received list between t 0  and the seek point; and   playing at least one determined ad.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 playing the stream from the seek point after playing the at least one determined ad. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the list is a list of cue points. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 playing at least one determined ad comprises playing the ad pod at the start of the stream section containing the seek point. 
 
     
     
         5 . A computer-implemented method for managing playback of a stream of streaming media; the stream having ads associated therewith, the stream characterized by a start at t 0 ; the method comprising:
 receiving a list indicating the location of each of at least one ad pod in the stream and indicating a list update time;   receiving instruction to play the stream forward from a seek point;   upon determining that the list update time is greater than or equal to the time of the seek point:
 determining unplayed stream ads associated with locations from the received list between t 0  and the seek point; 
 playing at least one determined ad; and 
   upon determining that the list update time is less than the time of the seek point:
 denying the seek point. 
   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 after playing at least one determined ad, playing the stream from the seek point after playing the at least one determined ads. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein:
 the list is a list of cue points. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein:
 playing at least one determined ad comprises playing the ad pod at the start of the stream section containing the seek point. 
 
     
     
         9 . A computer program product for managing playback of a stream of streaming media; the stream having ads associated therewith, the stream characterized by a start at t 0 , the computer program product comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that when executed by processor resources:
 receive a list indicating the location of each of at least one ad pod in the stream; 
 receive instruction to play the stream forward from a seek point; 
 determine unplayed stream ads associated with locations from the received list between t 0  and the seek point; and 
 play at least one determined ad. 
   
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 9  further comprising:
 play the stream from the seek point after playing the at least one determined ads. 
 
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 9  wherein:
 the list is a list of cue points. 
 
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 9  wherein:
 playing at least one determined ad comprises playing the ad pod at the start of the stream section containing the seek point. 
 
     
     
         13 . A computer program product for managing playback of a stream of streaming media; the stream having ads associated therewith, the stream characterized by a start at t 0 , the computer program product comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that when executed by processor resources:
 receive a list indicating the location of each of at least one ad pod in the stream and indicating a list update time; 
 receive instruction to play the stream forward from a seek point; 
 upon determining that the list update time is greater than or equal to the time of the seek point:
 determine unplayed stream ads associated with locations from the received list between t 0  and the seek point; 
 play at least one determined ad; and 
 
 upon determining that the list update time is less than the time of the seek point:
 deny the seek point. 
 
   
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 13  further comprising:
 after playing at least one determined ad, playing the stream from the seek point after playing the at least one determined ads. 
 
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 13  wherein:
 the list is a list of cue points. 
 
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 13  wherein:
 playing at least one determined ad comprises playing the ad pod at the start of the stream section containing the seek point. 
 
     
     
         17 . A system for managing playback of a stream of streaming media; the stream having ads associated therewith, the stream characterized by a start at t 0 , the system comprising:
 processor resources;   a non-transitory computer-readable medium:
 in communication with processor resources, and 
 encoded with instructions that when executed by a processor:
 receive a list indicating the location of each of at least one ad pod in the stream; 
 receive instruction to play the stream forward from a seek point; 
 determine unplayed stream ads associated with locations from the received list between t 0  and the seek point; and 
 play at least one determined ad. 
 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  further comprising:
 play the stream from the seek point after playing the at least one determined ads. 
 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17  wherein:
 the list is a list of cue points. 
 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17  wherein:
 playing at least one determined ad comprises playing the ad pod at the start of the stream section containing the seek point. 
 
     
     
         21 . A system for managing playback of a stream of streaming media; the stream having ads associated therewith, the stream characterized by a start at t 0 , the system comprising:
 processor resources;   a non-transitory computer-readable medium:
 in communication with processor resources, and 
 encoded with instructions that when executed by a processor:
 receive a list indicating the location of each of at least one ad pod in the stream and indicating a list update time; 
 receive instruction to play the stream forward from a seek point; 
 upon determining that the list update time is greater than or equal to the time of the seek point:
 determine unplayed stream ads associated with locations from the received list between t 0  and the seek point; 
 play at least one determined ad; and 
 
 upon determining that the list update time is less than the time of the seek point: 
 
   deny the seek point.   
     
     
         22 . The computer program product of  claim 21  further comprising:
 after playing at least one determined ad, playing the stream from the seek point after playing the at least one determined ads. 
 
     
     
         23 . The computer program product of  claim 21  wherein:
 the list is a list of cue points. 
 
     
     
         24 . The computer program product of  claim 21  wherein:
 playing at least one determined ad comprises playing the ad pod at the start of the stream section containing the seek point.