Digital audio system for radio stations

• US 20020161858A1
• Filed: 09/18/2001
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1994
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hahek America Inc., DigiMedia Holdings Group, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: DigiMedia Holdings Group, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Goldman, Robert
• Application Number:
  US09/919,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20020161858A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services

Abstract

A digital radio broadcast station which includes a common digital database having stored therein a plurality of at least several hundred (preferably at least 1800) different selections of music to be played and broadcast by the radio station. A processor system is provided for programming the operation of the digital radio broadcast station with a sequence of music selections, which are subsequently retrieved in order from the common digital database and played over the digital radio broadcast station. The processor system preferably includes a main computer system for operating the radio station, and also a backup computer system for operating the radio station in the event of a failure of the main computer system. The processor system is preferably based upon reduced instruction set computing architecture, and preferably comprises an IBM RS/6000 system with an AIX operating system. The common digital database comprises a disk array storage, preferably a dual port RAID disk array. The digital radio broadcast station also includes a plurality of work station consoles for use by personnel responsible for operating the radio station such as disc jockeys and engineers. A bridge network such as a modem is also provided for connecting the radio station to a further digital database for music selections not stored in the common digital database. The processor system is provided with a connection to a telephone network, such that radio station callers can communicate with the radio station by a touch tone telephone, and is also provided with a connection to an interactive cable television network, such that cable television viewers can communicate with the radio station over the interactive cable television network.

Claims

1. A method for operating a digital radio broadcast station comprising:

a. digitally storing in a common digital database, of a computer system, a plurality of at least several hundred different selections of music which is to be played and broadcast by the radio station;

b. programming the computer system with a sequence of music selections to be played by the radio station; and

c. retrieving from the common digital database and broadcasting over the radio station the programmed sequence of music selections.

2. A method for operating a digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing a main computer system for operating the radio station, and also providing a backup computer system for operating the radio station in the event of a failure of the main computer system.

3. A method for operating a digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 2, further including providing a plurality of work station consoles for use by personnel responsible for operating the radio station.

4. A method for operating a digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 3, wherein said step of digitally storing includes the step of digitally storing the plurality of at least several hundred different selections of music in a disk array.

5. A method for operating a digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 4, wherein the step of digitally storing includes storing the selections of music in a dual port RAID disk array.

6. A method for operating a digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 5, further comprising providing a bridged network for connecting the radio station to a further digital database for music selections not stored in the common digital database.

7. A method for operating a digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 6, further comprising providing a connection from the computer system to a telephone network, and wherein radio station callers communicate with the radio station by a touch tone telephone.

8. A method for operating a digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 7, further comprising providing a connection from the computer system to an interactive cable television network, and wherein cable television viewers communicate with the radio station over the interactive cable television network.

9. A method for operating a digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 1, further including providing a plurality of work station consoles for use by personnel responsible for operating the radio station.

10. A method for operating a digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of digitally storing includes the step of digitally storing the plurality of at least several hundred different selections of music in a disk array.

11. A method for operating a digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step of digitally storing includes storing the selections of music in a dual port RAID disk array.

12. A method for operating a digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing a bridged network for connecting the radio station to a further digital database for music selections not stored in the common digital database.

13. A method for operating a digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing a connection from the computer system to a telephone network, and wherein radio station callers communicate with the radio station by a touch tone telephone.

14. A method for operating a digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing a connection from the computer system to an interactive cable television network, and wherein cable television viewers communicate with the radio station over the interactive cable television network.

16. A digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 15, wherein the processor system includes a main computer system for operating the radio station, and also a backup computer system for operating the radio station in the event of a failure of the main computer system.

17. A digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a plurality of work station consoles for use by personnel responsible for operating the radio station.

18. A digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 17, wherein said common digital database comprises a disk array storage.

19. A digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 18, wherein said disk array storage comprises a dual port RAID disk array.

20. A digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 19, further comprising a bridged network for connecting the radio station to a further digital database for music selections not stored in the common digital database.

21. A digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 20, further comprising a connection from the processor system to a telephone network, and wherein radio station callers communicate with the radio station by a touch tone telephone.

22. A digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 21, further comprising a connection from the processor system to an interactive cable television network, and wherein cable television viewers communicate with the radio station over the interactive cable television network.

23. A digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 22, wherein the processor system includes first and second disk drive controllers.

24. A digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 23, wherein the processor system comprises an IBM RS/6000 system based upon reduced instruction set computing architecture, and includes an AIX operating system.

25. A digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a plurality of work station consoles for use by personnel responsible for operating the radio station.

26. A digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 15, wherein said common digital database comprises a disk array storage.

27. A digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 26, wherein said disk array storage comprises a dual port RAID disk array.

28. A digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a bridged network for connecting the radio station to a further digital database for music selections not stored in the common digital database.

29. A digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a connection from the processor system to a telephone network, and wherein radio station callers communicate with the radio station by a touch tone telephone.

30. A digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a connection from the processor system to an interactive cable television network, and wherein cable television viewers communicate with the radio station over the interactive cable television network.

31. A digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 15, wherein the processor system includes first and second disk drive controllers.

32. A digital radio broadcast station as claimed in claim 15, wherein the processor system comprises an IBM RS/6000 system based upon reduced instruction set computing architecture, and includes an AIX operating system.

15. A digital radio broadcast station comprising:

a. a common digital database having stored therein a plurality of at least several hundred different selections of music to be played and broadcast by the digital radio broadcast station; and

b. a processor system for programming the digital radio broadcast station with a sequence of music selections to be retrieved from the common digital database and played over the digital radio broadcast station.

33. A method for operating an audio on demand network comprising:

a. digitally storing in a common digital database, of a computer system, a plurality of at least several hundred different selections of music;

b. providing a communications network to users, wherein a user communicates with the computer system over the communications network to indicate a choice of one or more music selections; and

c. retrieving from the common digital database and transmitting over the communications network to the user the choice of one or more music selections.

34. A method for operating an audio on demand network as claimed in claim 33, wherein said step of providing a communications network comprises providing a connection from the computer system to a telephone network, and wherein a user communicates with the computer system by a touch tone telephone to indicate a choice of one or more music selections, and the one or more music selections are transmitted over the telephone network to the caller.

35. A method for operating an audio on demand network as claimed in claim 33, wherein said step of providing a communications network comprises providing a connection from the computer system to an interactive cable television network, and wherein a user communicates with the computer system over the interactive cable television network to indicate a choice of one or more music selections, and the one or more music selections are transmitted over the interactive cable television network to the user.