Systems and methods for achieving ad avoidance by selectively switching media streams

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for avoiding playback of an advertisement by selectively switching between media streams. To this end, a media guidance application receives a plurality of media streams from different sources, switches to a first media stream and plays back a first media asset of the first media stream, and determines that an end to playback of the first media asset is imminent. The media guidance application then determines whether a second media stream of the plurality of media streams is within a threshold amount of time of playing back a beginning of a second media asset, and if the second media stream is within the threshold amount of time of playing back the beginning of the second media asset, the media guidance application switches from the first media stream to the second media stream and plays back the second media asset.

1 - 50 . (canceled) 
     
     
         51 . A method for avoiding playback of an advertisement by selectively switching between media streams, the method comprising:
 receiving a plurality of media streams, wherein each media stream of the plurality of media streams is received from a different source;   switching to a first media stream of the plurality of media streams;   playing back a first media asset of the first media stream;   determining that an end to playback of the first media asset is imminent;   in response to determining that the end to the playback of the first media asset is imminent, determining whether a second media stream of the plurality of media streams is within a threshold amount of time of playing back a beginning of a second media asset; and   in response to determining that the second media stream is within the threshold amount of time of playing back the beginning of the second media asset:   determining that a first portion of playback of the first media asset overlaps with a second portion of playback of the second media asset;   buffering the second portion of playback of the second media asset;   detecting an end to the playback of the first media asset; and   in response to detecting the end of the playback of the first media asset, playing back the second media asset from a beginning of the second portion of the second media stream.   
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the determining whether the second media stream of the plurality of media streams is within the threshold amount of time of playing back the beginning of the second media asset comprises:
 determining a type of the second media asset; and   configuring the threshold amount of time based on the type of the second media asset.   
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising:
 accessing a profile of a user to whom the first media stream is being played back;   determining, based on data of the profile, whether the user prefers the first media asset or the second media asset;   in response to determining that the user prefers the first media asset to the second media asset, continuing playing back the first media stream until detecting the end of the first media asset.   
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising:
 in response to determining that the user prefers the second media asset to the first media asset, playing back the second media stream from the beginning of the second portion in response to determining that the end to playback of the first media asset is imminent but prior to detecting the end of the firsts media asset   
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising:
 determining that the second media stream and a third media stream of the plurality of media streams are both within the threshold amount of time of playing back the beginning of the second media asset and a beginning of the third media asset from the third media stream;   determining, based on data of the profile, whether the user prefers the second media asset or the third media asset; and   selecting one of the second media stream and the third media stream based on user preference as a candidate to switch the first media stream to.   
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein determining that the end to the playback of the first media asset is imminent comprises:
 determining an identity of the first media asset;   determining a length of the first media asset by, using a database, looking up the length in an entry of the database that corresponds to the identity;   determining, based on the length, whether a threshold amount of the first media asset has yet to be played back; and   in response to determining that the threshold amount of first media asset has yet to be played back, determining that the end to the playback of the first media asset is imminent.   
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein determining that the end to the playback of the first media asset is imminent comprises:
 detecting a trigger signal in the first media stream; and   in response to detecting the trigger signal, determining that the end to the playback of the first media asset is imminent.   
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , further comprising:
 determining, based on a user profile, whether a user prefers to play back an entirety of a given media even if user does not prefer the given media to a different media; and   in response to determining that the user prefers to play back the entirety of the given media even if the user does not prefer the given media to the different media, refraining from performing the action that affects playback of at least one of the first media stream and the second media stream.   
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising:
 determining that the second media stream is not within the threshold amount of time of playing back the beginning of the second media stream;   in response to determining that the second media stream is not within the threshold amount of time of playing back the beginning of the second media stream:   determining whether any media stream of the plurality of media streams is playing back non-advertisement media; and   in response to determining that a media stream is playing back the non-advertisement media, upon playback of the first media stream ending, switching from the first media stream to the media stream that is playing back the non-advertisement media.   
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , further comprising:
 determining that no media stream of the plurality of media streams is playing back non-advertisement media; and   in response to determining that no media stream of the plurality of media streams is playing back non-advertisement media:   switching from the first media stream to a media source that is not a media stream; and   playing back a third media stream from the media source that is not the media stream.   
     
     
         61 . A system for avoiding playback of an advertisement by selectively switching between media streams, the system comprising:
 a memory unit;   communication circuitry;   display circuitry; and   control circuitry configured to:
 receive, via the communication circuitry, a plurality of media streams, wherein each media stream of the plurality of media streams is received from a different source; 
 switch to a first media stream of the plurality of media streams; 
 play back, via the display circuitry, a first media asset of the first media stream; 
 determine that an end to playback of the first media asset is imminent; 
 in response to determining that the end to the playback of the first media asset is imminent, determine whether a second media stream of the plurality of media streams is within a threshold amount of time of playing back a beginning of a second media asset; and 
 in response to determining that the second media stream is within the threshold amount of time of playing back the beginning of the second media asset:
 determine that a first portion of playback of the first media asset overlaps with a second portion of playback of the second media asset; 
 buffer, at the memory unit, the second portion of playback of the second media asset; 
 detect an end to the playback of the first media asset; and 
 in response to detecting the end of the playback of the first media asset, play back, via the display circuitry, the second media asset from a beginning of the second portion of the second media stream. 
 
   
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 61 , wherein the control circuitry, when determining whether the second media stream of the plurality of media streams is within the threshold amount of time of playing back the beginning of the second media asset is configured to:
 determine a type of the second media asset; and   configure the threshold amount of time based on the type of the second media asset.   
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 61 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 access a profile of a user to whom the first media stream is being played back;   determine, based on data of the profile, whether the user prefers the first media asset or the second media asset;   in response to determining that the user prefers the first media asset to the second media asset, continue playing back the first media stream until detecting the end of the first media asset.   
     
     
         64 . The system of  claim 63 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 in response to determining that the user prefers the second media asset to the first media asset, play back the second media stream from the beginning of the second portion in response to determining that the end to playback of the first media asset is imminent but prior to detecting the end of the firsts media asset   
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 63 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 determine that the second media stream and a third media stream of the plurality of media streams are both within the threshold amount of time of playing back the beginning of the second media asset and a beginning of the third media asset from the third media stream;   determine, based on data of the profile, whether the user prefers the second media asset or the third media asset; and   select one of the second media stream and the third media stream based on user preference as a candidate to switch the first media stream to.   
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 61 , wherein the control circuitry, when determining that the end to the playback of the first media asset is imminent, is further configured to:
 determine an identity of the first media asset;   determine a length of the first media asset by, using a database, looking up the length in an entry of the database that corresponds to the identity;   determine, based on the length, whether a threshold amount of the first media asset has yet to be played back; and   in response to determining that the threshold amount of first media asset has yet to be played back, determine that the end to the playback of the first media asset is imminent.   
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 61 , wherein the control circuitry, when determining that the end to the playback of the first media asset is imminent, is further configured to:
 detect a trigger signal in the first media stream; and   in response to detecting the trigger signal, determine that the end to the playback of the first media asset is imminent.   
     
     
         68 . The system of  claim 67 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 determine, based on a user profile, whether a user prefers to play back an entirety of a given media even if user does not prefer the given media to a different media; and   in response to determining that the user prefers to play back the entirety of the given media even if the user does not prefer the given media to the different media, refrain from performing the action that affects playback of at least one of the first media stream and the second media stream.   
     
     
         69 . The system of  claim 61 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 determine that the second media stream is not within the threshold amount of time of playing back the beginning of the second media stream;   in response to determining that the second media stream is not within the threshold amount of time of playing back the beginning of the second media stream:   determine whether any media stream of the plurality of media streams is playing back non-advertisement media; and   in response to determining that a media stream is playing back the non-advertisement media, upon playback of the first media stream ending, switch from the first media stream to the media stream that is playing back the non-advertisement media.   
     
     
         70 . The system of  claim 69 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 determine that no media stream of the plurality of media streams is playing back non-advertisement media; and   in response to determining that no media stream of the plurality of media streams is playing back non-advertisement media:   switch from the first media stream to a media source that is not a media stream; and   play back a third media stream from the media source that is not the media stream.