The invention disclosed herein relates generally to the distribution of additional content, such as commercials and other advertising, interspersed with a video program, e.g., television programs. More particularly, the present invention relates to the distribution of additional content interspersed with a video program within a video time shifting architecture, one embodiment of which is a network digital video recorder (NDVR) architecture.
The NDVR content distribution architecture presents a fundamentally new video asset distribution paradigm that empowers consumers with greater control, choice and convenience. Advantageously, the NDVR architecture allows consumers of video content to customize their viewing experience, including the ability to pause live broadcast television, restart or rewind shows currently in progress, fast forward and rewind prerecorded programs and record multiple programs simultaneously. Furthermore, this paradigm provides new opportunities for the delivery of advertisements, such as advertisements delivered with on demand video assets, as well as playback of prerecorded programs with additional or replacement advertising through the functionality that the NDVR architecture provides.
There is thus a need for novel systems and methods to capitalize upon the advertisement distribution opportunities that an NDVR content distribution architecture presents.