Advertisement insertion techniques for digital video streams

A system for inserting advertisements into one or more digital program streams within a multiplexed digital stream, the system comprising:

• a receiver to receive a multiplexed digital stream having a plurality of digital program streams, wherein the multiplexed digital stream is allocated a multiplex bandwidth and the multiplex bandwidth is divided among the plurality of digital program streams into program bandwidths, the program bandwidth allocated based on bit rate associated with program contents, and wherein the digital program streams include advertisements opportunities;
• an interface to access a plurality of advertisements and associated advertisement information, wherein the advertisement information includes advertisement bandwidth requirements;
• an advertisement manager to select advertisements from the plurality of advertisements to be inserted in the digital program streams, wherein the advertisements are selected based at least in part on the program bandwidth and the advertisement bandwidth;
• and
• a multiplexer to insert the advertisements.

A method for inserting advertisements into one or more digital program streams within a multiplexed digital stream, the method comprising:

• receiving a multiplexed digital stream having a plurality of digital program streams, wherein the multiplexed digital stream has a maximum bit rate it can support and the digital program streams have a fluctuating bit rate based on program contents;
• accessing a plurality of advertisements;
• and
• inserting selective ones of the advertisements into the digital program streams, wherein the bit rate of the digital program streams may be dynamically adjusted at point of insertion.

A system for inserting advertisements into one or more digital program streams within a multiplexed digital stream, the system comprising:

• a receiver to receive a multiplexed digital stream having a plurality of digital program streams, wherein the multiplexed digital stream has a maximum bit rate it can support and the digital program streams have a fluctuating bit rate based on program contents;
• an advertisement manager to access a plurality of advertisements;
• and
• a statistical multiplexer to insert selective ones of the advertisements into the digital program streams, wherein the bit rate of the digital program streams may be dynamically adjusted at point of insertion.

A computer based method for controlling insertion of advertisements into a digitally multiplexed video stream, the method comprising:

• receiving a digitally multiplexed video signal containing a plurality of digital program streams, wherein the program streams have a time varying bit rate and at least one advertisement insertion opportunity, and wherein the at least one advertisement insertion opportunity has an advertisement insertion opportunity bit rate;
• selecting a digitally compressed advertisement for insertion into the digitally multiplexed video signal, wherein the digitally compressed advertisement has a minimum acceptable bit rate;
• determining if the minimum acceptable bit rate is greater than or less than the advertisement insertion opportunity bit rate;
• and
• inserting the digitally compressed advertisement when the minimum acceptable bit rate is less than the advertisement insertion opportunity bit rate.

An apparatus for controlling insertion of advertisements into a digitally multiplexed video stream, the apparatus comprising:

• a receiver for receiving a digitally multiplexed video signal containing a plurality of digital program streams, wherein the program streams have a time varying bit rate and at least one advertisement insertion opportunity, and wherein the at least one advertisement insertion opportunity has an advertisement insertion opportunity bit rate;
• an advertisement spooler for selecting a digitally compressed advertisement for insertion into the digitally multiplexed video signal, wherein the digitally compressed advertisement has a minimum acceptable bit rate;
• and
• a statistical multiplexer for determining if the minimum acceptable bit rate is greater than or less than the advertisement insertion opportunity bit rate and inserting the digitally compressed advertisement when the minimum acceptable bit rate is less than the advertisement insertion opportunity bit rate.