Live consecutive ad insertion

Abstract

Techniques and mechanisms described herein facilitate consecutive live ad insertion for live media streams. A live media stream is received and played at a client device. A first ad indicator in the live media stream, indicating a first start point for a first ad period, is detected. Upon reaching the first start point, reception of the live media stream is paused and one or more first replacement ads are played instead of one or more first original ads. Before the first ad period ends, a small portion of the live media stream is fetched in order to detect the presence of a second ad indicator indicating the presence of a second, consecutive ad period in the live media stream. Upon detecting the second ad indicator, one or more second replacement ads are played during the second ad period.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 playing a first ad in a live media stream;   before the first ad finishes playing, fetching only a portion of the live media stream in order to detect the presence of a subsequent ad indicator, the subsequent ad indicator indicating a start point for a subsequent ad in the live media stream;   detecting the subsequent ad indicator; and   playing a replacement ad instead of playing the subsequent ad in the live media stream.   
     
     
         2 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the replacement ad is received from an ad server. 
     
     
         3 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the subsequent ad indicator also indicates a stop point for the subsequent ad in the live media stream. 
     
     
         4 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein fetching the portion of the live media stream occurs 1-20 seconds before a first stop point for the first ad in the live media stream. 
     
     
         5 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the replacement ad is fetched and prepared for playing after receiving the subsequent ad indicator but before a start point for the subsequent ad. 
     
     
         6 . The method recited in  claim 1 , further comprising reception and play of the live media stream after the replacement ad finishes playing. 
     
     
         7 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the size of the fetched portion of the live media stream is within the range of 50 bytes to 10 kilobytes, inclusive. 
     
     
         8 . The method recited in  claim 1 , further comprising, for each ad:
 fetching a portion of the live media stream before the ad expires to determine the presence of a subsequent consecutive ad indicator for a subsequent consecutive ad in the live media stream; and   upon detecting the presence of a subsequent consecutive ad indicator, playing one or more subsequent consecutive replacement ads instead of one or more subsequent consecutive ads in the live media stream.   
     
     
         9 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the live media stream includes both encrypted and unencrypted data and the fetched portion of the live media stream consists of unencrypted data. 
     
     
         10 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the live media stream contains one or more current ad indicators that occur while the first ad is playing, the one or more current ad indicators indicating that segments in the live media stream are currently within a first ad period. 
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 a communications interface configured to communicate with media and ad servers over a network; and   a processor configured for:   playing a first ad in a live media stream;   before the first ad finishes playing, fetching only a portion of the live media stream in order to detect the presence of a subsequent ad indicator, the subsequent ad indicator indicating a start point for a subsequent ad in the live media stream;   detecting the subsequent ad indicator; and   playing a replacement ad instead of playing the subsequent ad in the live media stream.   
     
     
         12 . The system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the replacement ad is received from an ad server. 
     
     
         13 . The system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the subsequent ad indicator also indicates a stop point for the subsequent ad in the live media stream. 
     
     
         14 . The system recited in  claim 11 , wherein fetching the portion of the live media stream occurs 1-20 seconds before a first stop point for the first ad in the live media stream. 
     
     
         15 . The system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the replacement ad is fetched and prepared for playing after receiving the subsequent ad indicator but before a start point for the subsequent ad. 
     
     
         16 . The system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the live media stream includes both encrypted and unencrypted data and the fetched portion of the live media stream consists of unencrypted data. 
     
     
         17 . The system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the size of the fetched portion of the live media stream is within the range of 50 bytes to 10 kilobytes, inclusive. 
     
     
         18 . The system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured for, for each ad:
 fetching a portion of the live media stream before the ad expires to determine the presence of a subsequent consecutive ad indicator for a subsequent consecutive ad in the live media stream; and   upon detecting the presence of a subsequent consecutive ad indicator, playing one or more subsequent consecutive replacement ads instead of one or more subsequent consecutive ads in the live media stream.   
     
     
         19 . The system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the live media stream contains one or more current ad indicators that occur while the first ad is playing, the one or more current ad indicators indicating that segments in the live media stream are currently within a first ad period. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon for performing a method, the method comprising:
 playing a first ad in a live media stream;   before the first ad finishes playing, fetching only a portion of the live media stream in order to detect the presence of a subsequent ad indicator, the subsequent ad indicator indicating a start point for a subsequent ad in the live media stream;   detecting the subsequent ad indicator; and   playing a replacement ad instead of playing the subsequent ad in the live media strea