CPC H04N 21/23424 (2013.01) [H04N 21/232 (2013.01); H04N 21/2387 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
1. A method to manage video playback using a server configured to communicate with a plurality of video players and a content delivery network (CDN), the method comprising:
receiving a request from a first video player of the plurality of video players for playing a video stream;
identifying a first playlist for the video stream, the first playlist identifying a plurality of video content segments distributed to the CDN;
modifying the first playlist for the video stream to produce a second playlist identifying a first combination of video content segments and alternative content segments, the first combination defined based on one or more rules pertaining to at least one of the first video player or the video stream;
transmitting the second playlist to the first video player to allow the first video player to provide playback of video content comprising the first combination of the video content segments and the alternative content segments;
receiving, from the first video player, an indication of a request of a user of the first video player to seek forward when viewing the video content;
determining, based on a view history of the user of the first video player and the one or more rules pertaining to at least one of the first video player or the video stream, whether to allow the request of the user to seek forward, wherein determining whether to allow the request of the user to seek forward comprises:
determining the view history of the user of the first video player, the view history comprising an indication of viewing time of the user with respect to at least one of the video content segments and the alternative content segments;
modifying the second playlist for the video stream to produce a third playlist identifying a second combination of video content segments and alternative content segments, the second combination defined based on the one or more rules pertaining to at least one of the first video player or the video stream, and the viewing history of the user, the third playlist indicating whether the request of the user to seek forward is allowed; and
transmitting the third playlist to the first video player.
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