Invented by Banga; Saksham, Piotrowski; Matt

Livestreaming has changed how we watch, listen, and interact with online content. But showing ads or other extra content during a live event is not as easy as pressing play. A new patent application takes a fresh look at how to do this better. Today, we will break down the background of this invention, look at the science and older ideas behind it, and explain exactly what makes this invention new and important.

Background and Market Context

Livestreaming is everywhere. From music concerts to gaming, sports to news, millions of people tune in to live video and audio streams every day. Viewers can join or leave these livestreams at any time, and they expect a smooth, easy experience. But there is one big challenge: how do you show ads or extra content — called “supplemental content” — in a way that is fair, smooth, and works well for everyone?

Most livestreams today use a simple method to show ads, similar to old-fashioned TV or radio. The stream has set times — maybe every 30 minutes — when it stops for a break and shows an ad. Everyone watching sees the ad at the same time. This is easy for the company running the stream, but it can be unfair or annoying for viewers. Here’s why:

If someone joins the stream late, right after an ad break, they might not see any ads at all. If they join just before a break, they see an ad right away, which feels unfair. If they leave early, they might miss ads. This means the company loses money, and the viewer gets an uneven experience. Also, when everyone gets an ad at the same time, the servers can get overloaded. Too many people asking for ads at once can cause slowdowns, crashes, or poor video quality.

This problem is not just about ads. Sometimes, the extra content could be reminders, news, or fun facts. The main issue is timing. Everyone is watching the same event, but not everyone starts or ends at the same moment. The old way of showing supplemental content is just not flexible enough for livestreaming.

Companies want a fair, smooth way to show supplemental content to every user, no matter when they join or leave the livestream. They also want to avoid technical problems that happen when too many devices ask for content at the same time. This is where the new invention comes in.

Scientific Rationale and Prior Art

Before this new idea, most livestream platforms followed the same schedule for everyone. They set fixed “break markers” — points in time where every device gets an ad or extra content. This is easy to manage and works okay for broadcast TV or radio, where everyone starts and ends at the same time. But in livestreaming, people join and leave whenever they want.

Old methods do not adjust for this. Some viewers see too few ads, some see too many, and some see ads at awkward times — like right after joining. Worse, when everyone’s device asks for an ad at the same moment, it causes a surge in data requests, which can slow down or even break the system.

Some past solutions tried to fix these problems by tracking each user’s activity. For example, a system could keep track of when a user last saw an ad and try to show the next one after a set time. But these systems did not work well with the fixed break times in the livestream, so they were hard to use for live events.

Other ideas used random ad timing or let the server decide when to show ads, but these did not solve the main issues of fairness and load balancing. No previous solution combined the benefits of set break points with smart timing based on each user’s activity.

The main scientific idea behind the new invention is simple but clever: use the regular break markers, but add an extra rule. Only show the supplemental content if enough time has passed since the last time that user saw an ad or joined the stream. This way, each viewer gets a fair number of ads, never too close together, and the requests for content are spread out over time. This helps prevent overload and gives every user a better, more even experience.

This approach creates a flexible system that can be tuned by the stream provider. They can set how often breaks happen, how long users have to wait between ads, and how many ads each user should see. It’s a smart mix of old and new ideas — using fixed break points, but making the ad delivery personal and fair.

Invention Description and Key Innovations

Now, let’s dive into how this invention really works and what makes it stand out.

At the heart of the invention is a computer system that delivers livestreams to many devices — phones, computers, smart TVs, and more. The livestream has set break markers, which are like signposts showing when it’s okay to show supplemental content. These breaks can be close together, like every 5 minutes, or further apart, depending on what the provider wants.

But here’s the key: just because a break marker is reached, the system does not always show an ad or extra content. Instead, it checks if enough time has passed since the user last saw supplemental content or joined the stream. This time is called the “supplemental content interval,” and it is always longer than the break interval.

For example, imagine break markers every 5 minutes, but the supplemental content interval is 15 minutes. When a device hits a break marker, it checks: has it been at least 15 minutes since the last ad or since the user joined? If yes, it shows the supplemental content. If not, it skips it and waits for the next break. This check happens independently for every device, so each user gets ads or extra content at the right time for them.

This method has several clever features:

First, it makes sure every user sees supplemental content fairly, no matter when they join or leave the stream. If a user joins late, they won’t miss out on ads. If they join right before a break, they won’t get an ad too soon. This creates a balanced experience and helps providers meet their business goals.

Second, the invention spreads out the requests for supplemental content. Instead of every device asking for an ad at the same time, each device makes the request only when enough time has passed for that user. This smooths out the demand and prevents server overload, which keeps the stream running well for everyone.

Third, the system can be set up in different ways. The rules for how long to wait between ads, how many ads each user should see, and what kind of content to show can all be set by the livestream provider. This makes the system very flexible and easy to fit to any kind of event or audience.

The invention also covers situations where the server can tweak the timing for some users. For example, if too many devices are about to request ads at once, the server can adjust the timing for some users, spreading out the demand even more. This is like smoothing out a traffic jam by making some cars wait a little longer.

From a technical point of view, the system keeps track of each user’s “earlier event” — the last time they got supplemental content, or when they joined the stream. It also tracks how many ads each user has seen, and can stop showing ads if a set maximum is reached. The system can use timers or marker counters, and can work with both video and audio streams.

The invention supports all kinds of supplemental content, not just ads. It could be news updates, reminders, or even interactive content. It works with many kinds of devices — phones, tablets, computers, smart glasses, and more.

Another important part is privacy. The system only tracks what it needs to deliver the right content at the right time. It does not need to know who the user is, just when they last saw supplemental content. This helps keep user data safe and private.

By combining flexible timing, fair delivery, and smart server management, the invention solves problems that have bothered livestream viewers and providers for years. It keeps viewers happy and engaged, helps providers earn money, and keeps the technology running smoothly.

Conclusion

Livestreaming is a fast-growing part of the digital world, but it brings new challenges for showing ads and other extra content. The old way — fixed breaks for everyone — just does not work well when viewers can join or leave at any time. The new invention described here brings a smart, flexible solution. By checking when each user last saw supplemental content and only showing new content after a set time, the system keeps things fair, smooth, and efficient.

This invention stands out because it balances the needs of viewers, providers, and the technology itself. It gives every viewer a fair experience, helps livestream providers reach their goals, and avoids the technical problems that come with big spikes in demand. It is easy to set up, works with many types of devices and content, and keeps user data private.

As livestreaming keeps growing, these kinds of smart solutions will become more and more important. This patent application shows how fresh thinking can make a big difference in the way we watch, listen, and interact online. If you are a livestream provider, advertiser, or just someone who wants a better viewing experience, this invention points the way to a smoother, fairer future.

Click here https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/ and search 20250220252.