Method and system for electronically distributing, displaying and controlling advertising and other communicative media

• US 20020023274A1
• Filed: 04/06/2001
• Published: 02/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: A Division Of Planar Systems Clarity
• Inventors: Giacalone,, Louis D. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,228,341 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/146
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/64 for providing detail information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26208 the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41415 involving a public display, viewable by several users in a public space outside their home, e.g. movie theatre, information kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

A method for facilitating the electronic scheduling for playback of a variety of media such as music or video is disclosed. In the described system, discrete items of content (such as music or video) are scheduled for play back based upon a schedule created by the integration of five standard scheduling methods into a single comprehensive scheduling algorithm. In the first scheduling method a discrete item of content is assigned a frequency rating relative to other items of content. A second way to schedule is called recurring playback. In the recurring method, a particular item of content is scheduled to repeat at specific intervals of time. Intervals can be in terms of minutes, hours or days. A third scheduling method allows the content to be played according to a time base, that is, media content can be scheduled to play at a specific date and time. The forth type of input to the scheduling system is a trigger event which is received from a source external to the scheduling system. Upon receiving a trigger event, particular media content will be played. This type of input includes a mechanism called asynchronous request and relates to play of previously unscheduled content on an external request basis. And lastly, means are provided for selectively determining whether or not particular content is available for play in a particular venue or during a particular period of time. These five methods of scheduling playback of content are integrated into a single comprehensive scheduling system.

Claims

1. A method for scheduling the distribution of content utilizing a network, comprising the steps of:

(a) accessing content in a database;

(b) generating schedule data by inputting preferences to a scheduling algorithm, the scheduling algorithm being based on predetermined methods of processing input preferences relating to parameters selected from the group consisting of;

frequency, interval, time of play, trigger events, and category filtering; and

(c) distributing the content and the schedule data to a plurality of output devices utilizing a network.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising the step of causing the output devices to communicate the content to an audience.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the content communication is by way of a visual display.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the content communication is by way of electronic broadcast.

5. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the content communication is by way of audio/visual broadcast.

6. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the content communication is by way of audio/visual display.

7. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the input frequency preference relates to a relative weight associated with each content, and wherein the processing of input preferences includes:

assigning a weight to the schedule data associated with each content, Whereby in response to the schedule data, the output devices communicate the content preferentially according to the assigned weight.

8. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the input interval preference relates to a recurring period associated with a play of the content and wherein the processing of input preferences includes:

assigning a recurring period to the schedule data associated with each content, whereby in response to the schedule data the output devices cause the content to be communicated at the beginning of the recurring period.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the input preference relating to the interval includes an offset which delays communication of the content following the beginning of the recurring period.

10. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the input time of play preference relates to a time of day, and wherein the processing of input preferences includes:

assigning a particular time of day to the schedule data associated with each content, whereby in response to the schedule data, the output devices cause the content to be communicated at the particular time of day.

11. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the trigger events preference relates to the occurrence of an event external to the algorithm, wherein the processing of input preferences includes:

assigning an external event to be recognized to the schedule data associated with the content, whereby under control of the schedule data, the output devices communicate the content upon occurrence of the external event.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the event to be recognized includes an asynchronous request.

13. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the content includes a tag associated therewith, the tag indicating whether or not the content is available for communication.

14. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein the tag indicates whether or not the content is available for communication to an audience in a specified venue.

15. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein the tag indicates whether or not the content is available for communication to a particular audience during a specified period of time.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, and further comprising:

a plurality of output devices; and

means for causing each output device to communicate the content to an audience.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein at least some of said output devices are visual display devices and the content communication is by way of visual display.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein at least some of said output devices are electronic transmitters and the content communication is by way of electronic broadcast.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein at least some of said output devices are transmitters and the content communication is by way of audio/visual broadcast.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, at least some of said output devices are display devices and wherein the content communication is by way of audio/visual display.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the input frequency preference relates to a weight associated with each content and wherein the processing of input preferences includes:

assigning a weight to the schedule data associated with the content, wherein in response to the schedule data the output devices communicate the content preferentially according to the assigned weight.

23. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the input interval preference relates to a recurring period associated with a particular content, and wherein the processing of input preferences includes:

assigning the recurring period to the schedule data associated with the particular content, whereby in response to the schedule data the output devices cause the content to be communicated at the beginning of the recurring period.

24. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the input preferences relating to the interval include an offset which delays communication of the content following the beginning of the recurring period.

25. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the input time of play preference relates to a time of day, and wherein the processing of input preferences includes:

assigning a particular time of day to the schedule data associated with the content, whereby in response to the schedule data, the output devices cause the content to be communicated at the particular time of day.

26. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the trigger events preference relates to the occurrence of an event external to the algorithm, and wherein the processing of input preferences includes:

assigning an external event to be recognized to the schedule data associated with the content, whereby under control of the schedule data, the output devices communicate the content upon occurrence of the external event.

27. An apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein the external event to be recognized includes an asynchronous request.

28. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the content includes a tag associated therewith, the tag indicating whether or not the content is available for communication.

29. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein the tag indicates whether or not the content is available for communication to an audience in a specified venue.

30. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein the tag indicates whether or not the content is available for communication to an audience during a specified period of time.

16. An apparatus for scheduling the distribution of content to a plurality of output devices utilizing a network, comprising:

(a) means for accessing content in a database;

(b) means for generating schedule data in response to the input of preferences to a scheduling algorithm, the scheduling algorithm being based on predetermined methods of processing input preferences relating to parameters selected from the group consisting of frequency, interval, time of play, trigger events, and category filtering; and

(c) means for distributing the content and the schedule data to a plurality of output devices utilizing a network.

31. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for scheduling the distribution of content to a plurality of output devices utilizing a network, comprising:

(a) a code segment that accesses content in a database;

(b) a code segment including a scheduling algorithm that generates schedule data in response to input preferences, the scheduling algorithm being based on predetermined methods of processing input preferences relating to parameters selected from the group consisting of;

frequency, interval, time of play, trigger events, and category filtering; and

(c) a code segment that causes distribution of the content and the schedule data to a plurality of output devices utilizing a network.

32. A computer program as recited in claim 31, and further comprising a code segment that causes the output devices to communicate the content to an audience.

33. A computer program as recited in claim 32, wherein the content communication is by way of a visual display.

34. A computer program as recited in claim 32, wherein the content communication is by way of electronic broadcast.

35. A computer program as recited in claim 32, wherein the content communication is by way of audio/visual broadcast.

36. A computer program as recited in claim 32, wherein the content communication is by way of audio/visual display.

37. A computer program as recited in claim 32, wherein the input frequency preference relates to a weight of each content relative to other content and wherein the processing of input preferences includes a code segment for assigning a weight to the schedule data associated with the content, whereby in response to the schedule data the output devices are caused communicate the content preferentially according to the assigned weight.

38. A computer program as recited in claim 32, wherein the input interval preference relates to a recurring period associated with communication of the content, and wherein the processing of input preferences includes:

assigning a recurring period to the schedule data associated with the content, whereby in response to the schedule data the output devices cause the content to be communicated at the beginning of the recurring period.

39. A computer program as recited in claim 38, wherein the input preferences relating to the interval include an offset which delays communication of the content following the beginning of the recurring period.

41. A computer program as recited in claim 32, wherein the trigger events preference relates to the occurrence of an event external to the algorithm, and wherein the processing of input preferences includes:

assigning an external event to be recognized to the schedule data associated with the content, whereby in response to the schedule data the output devices communicate the content upon occurrence of the external event.

42. A computer program as recited in claim 41, wherein the external event includes an asynchronous request.

43. A computer program as recited in claim 32, wherein the content includes a tag associated therewith, the tag indicating whether or not the content is available for a communication.

44. A computer program as recited in claim 43, wherein the tag indicates whether or not the content is available for communication to an audience in a specified venue.

45. A computer program as recited in claim 43, wherein the tag indicates whether or not the content is available for communication to an audience during a specified period of time.

40. A computer program as recited in claim______, wherein the input time of play preference relates to a time of day, and wherein the processing of input preferences includes:

assigning a particular time of day to the schedule data associated with each content, whereby in response to the schedule data, the output devices cause the content to be communicated at the particular time of day.