Virtual private radio station via virtual private network

• US 20060029040A1
• Filed: 08/04/2004
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Sherman, Marc Adam, Sherman, Thomas W. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,571,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context

Abstract

A method and a system are provided. A request is received from a first device through a network. Local content is selected from a group of different local content to send to the first device via the network, where the selecting of the local content is based on an indicator included with the request. Audio data may be sent with the selected local content to the first device via the network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a first device through a network;

selecting local content from a plurality of different local content to send to the first device via the network, the selecting of the local content being based on an indicator included with the request; and

sending the selected local content to the first device via the network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the sending of the selected local content is performed via a virtual private network.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the first device, the selected local content, the local content being included as part of an audio data stream; and

producing, at the first device, sound from the audio data stream.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the local content includes a local notice or a local advertisement.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the first device, audio data and the selected local content, the local content being included as part of the audio data; and

storing the audio data.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving, at the first device, a request from a second device via a second network; and

delivering the audio data to the second device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

producing, at the second device, sound from the audio data.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the second network includes a virtual private network, and

the delivering the audio data is performed via the virtual private network.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a schedule of local content to the first device via the network, wherein;

the sending of the selected local content comprises sending audio data separate from the selected local content.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving and storing, at the first device, the schedule of local content;

receiving and storing, at the first device, at least some of the selected local content; and

receiving and storing, at the first device, at least some of the audio data.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

producing sound, at the first device, from the at least some of the audio data; and

producing sound, at the first device, from the at least some of the selected local content at a time based on the schedule of local content.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

inserting, by the first device, portions of the selected local content into the at least some of the audio data.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

changing the local content based on sales data.

14. A system for delivering audio data via a network, the system comprising:

a first processing device; and

a second processing device,

wherein;

the first processing device is configured to;

receive a request, via the network, from the second processing device,

select local content from a plurality of different local content based on an indication included with the request, and

send the selected local content to the second processing device; and

the second processing device is configured to;

receive the selected local content.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first processing device is further configured to send audio data and the selected local content to the second device via a virtual private network.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the second processor device is further configured to produce sound based on audio data received with the selected local content.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the local content includes a local notice or a local advertisement.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the local content is included together with the audio data.

19. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a third processing device,

wherein;

the third processing device is configured to;

send a request to the second processing device via a second network, and

receive audio data and the local content from the second processing device via the second network in response to the request.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the third processing device is further configured to produce sound from the received audio data.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the second network includes a second virtual private network through which the second processing device and the third processing device are configured to communicate with one another.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the first processing device is further configured to:

send a schedule of local content to the second processing device via the network, and

send, to the second processing device, the selected local content and the schedule of local content separately from each other.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the second processing device is further configured to:

receive and store the schedule of local content,

receive and store at least some of the local content,

receive and store at least some audio data,

produce sound based on the at least some of the audio data, and

produce sound based on the at least some of the local content.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the second processing device is further configured to:

receive and store the schedule of local content,

receive and store at least some of the local content,

receive and store at least some audio data, and

insert portions of the local content into the at least some of the audio data.

25. A machine-readable medium containing instructions for controlling at least one processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving a request, via a network, from a first processing device;

selecting local content from a plurality of different local content based on an indication included with the request; and

sending the selected local content and audio data to the first processing device via the network.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises:

sending the audio data and the selected local content via a virtual private network.

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the local content includes a notice or an advertisement pertaining to a particular location.

28. The machine-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises:

sending a schedule of local content to the first processing device, the selected local content and the audio data being sent separately from each other.

29. A machine-readable medium containing instructions for controlling at least one processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

sending a request to a first processing device via a virtual private network;

receiving a schedule of local content from the first processing device via the virtual private network; and

receiving audio data and local content from the first processing device via the virtual private network, the audio data and the local content being sent separately from one another.

30. The machine-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the method further comprises:

sending the audio data and the local content to a second processing device via a second virtual private network in response to receiving a request from the second processing device.