Method and apparatus for browser based advertisement insertion

Abstract

Content is downloaded to a mobile handheld device (MHD) and buffered on the MHD prior to, and during, viewing. Normal wireless bandwidth varies with atmospheric conditions, distance, obstructions in the path, etc. and hence the speed at which a content-buffer (CB) on the MHD is replenished changes. Because this can result in very low quality viewing experience for the user, the capability for alternate content scheduling provided a micro-splicer is used to enable stored alternate content or advertisement insertion during periods of low viewing quality, when the CB does not hold sufficient content during the viewing period. This alternate content insertion allows the CB to be refilled before the user resumes content viewing.

1 . A method for downloading, buffering, and viewing content on a mobile handheld device (MHD) under control of a micro-splicer instantiated on the MHD, prior to and during viewing of the content, comprising the steps of:
 buffering stored alternate content into an alternate content and inserting said alternate content from the alternate content buffer into a display buffer when a content buffer also on the MHD does not hold sufficient multimedia content for viewing of the multimedia content as defined by when a fill status of the content buffer is below an empty threshold value;   monitoring the fill status of the content buffer for the multimedia content in the content buffer to cross a fill threshold value;   inserting multimedia content from the content buffer into the display buffer, for viewing, when the fill threshold value is crossed, after completion of the already inserted alternate content in the display buffer; and   using an interval of time when the fill value of the content buffer is below the empty threshold and the time when the fill threshold crosses the fill threshold to insert the buffered alternate content into the display buffer for viewing.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said alternate content was pre-downloaded to a storage on said MHD before said content was downloaded and buffered. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said MHD stops displaying said multimedia content and inserts said alternate content when the content buffer does not hold sufficient content. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an end-of-content-file (EOCF) condition is checked for in said content buffer and wherein if at any time the EOCF is recognized while said alternate content is being inserted, the multimedia content is inserted and viewed to EOCF after completion of the inserted alternate content. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fill status of the content buffer is checked by a threshold checker instantiated on the MHD. 
     
     
         6 . A system for improving the viewing experience of a user when viewing a content on a mobile handheld device (MHD) wherein the viewed content is one of a multimedia content, an alternate content, the system comprising:
 a content buffer, on the MHD, for holding a downloaded multimedia content;   an alternate content buffer, on the MHD, for holding a down loaded alternate content, the alternate content downloaded and saved in the alternate content buffer prior to down loading the multimedia content;   a display buffer for holding the content for viewing on the MHD, linked to both the content buffer and the alternate content buffer;   a threshold checker on the MHD, for monitoring a status of fill of the content buffer and generating an empty status signal when the fill status crosses an empty threshold and a fill status signal when the fill status crosses a fill threshold; and   a micro-splicer on the MHD, coupled to the threshold checker enabled to control the loading of the display buffer from the alternate content buffer with alternate content on receipt of the empty status signal and multimedia content from the content buffer on receipt of the fill status signal.