Patent ID: 7068724

Claim:
A method for inserting advertisements into a statistically multiplexed transmission stream containing a plurality of program streams with a plurality of advertising opportunities, the method comprising: determining a first avail rate profile for a first avail within a first program stream, wherein the first avail rate profile is based at least in part on a first program stream rate profile for the first program stream; determining a second avail rate profile for a second avail within a second program stream, wherein the second avail rate profile is based at least in part on a second program stream rate profile for the second program stream; generating a composite avail rate profile based on the first avail rate profile and the second avail rate profile; assigning a first advertisement rate profile to the first avail and a second advertisement rate profile to the second avail, wherein the first advertisement rate profile is not limited by the first avail rate profile and the second advertisement rate profile is not limited by the second avail rate profile, and wherein a combined first advertisement and second advertisement rate profile is limited by the composite avail rate profile; compressing the first advertisement according to the first advertisement rate profile and the second advertisement according to the second advertisement rate profile; and inserting the compressed first advertisement in the first avail and the second advertisement in the second avail.