Patent attributes
A first advertisement management system assumes control of inserting advertisements into a spot break for a first, pre-allocated portion of the spot break, which has a duration and a scheduled conclusion. The first advertisement management system makes a first determination, based at least in part on a number of advertisements available for insertion into the first pre-allocated portion of the spot break by the first advertisement management system. The first determination indicates whether control of inserting advertisements into the spot break is to be passed to a second advertisement management system at the scheduled conclusion of the first pre-allocated portion of the spot break, prior to the scheduled conclusion of the first pre-allocated portion of the spot break, or later than the scheduled conclusion of the first pre-allocated portion of the spot break. The first advertisement management system passes control to the second advertisement management system in accordance with the first determination.