Audio distribution and production system
First Claim
1. An improved method of transmitting at least audio information from production systems to one or more among a predetermined group of tail end users distal from the production systems, the improved method comprising the steps of a. receiving at least a first audio signal on a first production system and at least a second audio signal on a second production system;
- b. digitally encoding the first and second audio signals with a lossy compression algorithm to yield respective first and second lossy encoded files of lossy audio information;
c. predetermining a first group of tail end user apparatus for use of the first lossy encoded file and a second group of tail end user apparatus for use of the second lossy encoded file;
d. transmitting the lossy encoded files from the first and second production systems to a hub for automatic selective forwarding of the first and second lossy encoded files by the hub to the first and second groups of tail end user apparatus respectively; and
e. receiving, decoding, and playback broadcasting of the first and second lossy encoded files respectively on the first and second groups of tail end user apparatus, said decoding using a decoding algorithm for decoding of the lossy encoded file encoded with the lossy encoding algorithm.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A data file delivery system is provided having, at a head end, a production subsystem which communicates with a delivery subsystem via a local area network, ISDN connection, and the like. The delivery subsystem communicates with an affiliate subsystem, at a tail end, via a satellite link, ISDN link and the like. The production subsystem enables a producer to create audio events which represent sequences of audio which are played to completion before another audio event occurs. Audio events are stored as audio files. Each audio event may include one or more of an audio sequence, text information, delivery instructions, and an attribute list having contact closure information and the like. Optionally, multiple audio events may be assembled at the production subsystem to form a play list. The audio files are transferred to the delivery subsystem. The delivery subsystem places the audio files in delivery envelopes and transmits the envelopes to the affiliate terminals. In addition, the delivery subsystem may transmit live audio and related contact closure information to the affiliate terminals. The affiliate terminal may be located at a user site. The affiliate terminals may store these events on the hard drive, play the events in real time or pass events to other affiliate terminals. The affiliate terminal may later play stored audio events.
236 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An improved method of transmitting at least audio information from production systems to one or more among a predetermined group of tail end users distal from the production systems, the improved method comprising the steps of
a. receiving at least a first audio signal on a first production system and at least a second audio signal on a second production system; -
b. digitally encoding the first and second audio signals with a lossy compression algorithm to yield respective first and second lossy encoded files of lossy audio information;
c. predetermining a first group of tail end user apparatus for use of the first lossy encoded file and a second group of tail end user apparatus for use of the second lossy encoded file;
d. transmitting the lossy encoded files from the first and second production systems to a hub for automatic selective forwarding of the first and second lossy encoded files by the hub to the first and second groups of tail end user apparatus respectively; and
e. receiving, decoding, and playback broadcasting of the first and second lossy encoded files respectively on the first and second groups of tail end user apparatus, said decoding using a decoding algorithm for decoding of the lossy encoded file encoded with the lossy encoding algorithm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification