System and method for enabling content providers to identify advertising opportunities

An apparatus, comprising:

• a memory;
• a processor operatively coupled to memory, the processor to:
• process instructions to customize a pre-existing datastream;
• identify at least one time interval for a placement opportunity in the datastream;
• dynamically define on a per-subscriber basis the placement opportunity in accordance with the instructions and altering the at least one time interval for the placement opportunity based on one or more rules defining ownership and interactive rights that specify which entity owns one or more portions of the at least one time interval for the placement opportunity;
• assemble the dynamically defined placement opportunity and the altered at least one time interval for the placement opportunity into a playlist that represents a customized datastream on a per-subscriber basis;
• and
• deliver the playlist to a distribution system.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when accessed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations, comprising:

• processing, by the processor, instructions to customize a pre-existing datastream;
• identifying, by the processor, at least one time interval for a placement opportunity in the datastream;
• dynamically defining, by the processor, on a per-subscriber basis the placement opportunity in accordance with the instructions and altering the at least one time interval for the placement opportunity based on one or more rules defining ownership and interactive rights that specify which entity owns one or more portions of the at least one time interval for the placement opportunity;
• assembling, by the processor, the dynamically defined placement opportunity and the altered at least one time interval for the placement opportunity into a playlist that represents a customized datastream on a per-subscriber basis;
• and
• delivering, by the processor, the playlist to a distribution system.

A method, comprising:

• identifying, by a processor, at least one time interval for a placement opportunity in a pre-existing datastream;
• dynamically defining, by the processor, on a per-subscriber basis rules to customize the placement opportunity located in the pre-existing datastream, one or more of the rules defining ownership and interactive rights that specify which entity owns one or more portions of the at least one time interval for the placement opportunity;
• assembling, by the processor, the dynamically defined rules to customize the placement opportunity and the at least one time interval for the placement opportunity into a playlist that represents a customized placement opportunity on a per-subscriber basis;
• and
• delivering, by the processor, the playlist to a distribution system.