Method and apparatus for broadcast communications
First Claim
1. A scheduling system for use in broadcasting comprising:
- i) a scheduler for selecting and scheduling broadcast elements for broadcasting; and
ii) a user input data store for storing user input data in which the scheduler is adapted to access the user input data store and to schedule broadcast elements, the scheduling of one or more broadcast elements being at least partially determined by stored user input data.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An interactive broadcasting system is arranged to receive and respond to user inputs in relation to broadcast material. A scheduler (1200) polls continuously for new user inputs and adjusts its scheduling appropriately, in accordance with algorithms. This might be for example to insert content from user inputs into a live or pre-recorded broadcast or to re-order elements of a broadcast, such as travel clips from a playlist. The system has many applications. Users can for example post messages or dedications, interact in discussion programmes, vote for clips from a playlist, request live feeds, enter competitions or make purchases. Optionally, the response of the scheduler (1200) can be time dependent, for instance changing algorithms or scheduled content at a particular time of day or day of the week. As well as the scheduler (1200), embodiments of the invention provide a broadcast assembly system for storing broadcast elements, processing user inputs and assembling broadcast elements in accordance with processed user inputs for broadcast communications. Embodiments of the present invention are not limited to dealing with single broadcast channels but can also be used to playout multiple interactive channels. Such multiple channels can share either content or user interactivity or each channel may be entirely different in what is broadcast.
128 Citations
68 Claims
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1. A scheduling system for use in broadcasting comprising:
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i) a scheduler for selecting and scheduling broadcast elements for broadcasting; and
ii) a user input data store for storing user input data in which the scheduler is adapted to access the user input data store and to schedule broadcast elements, the scheduling of one or more broadcast elements being at least partially determined by stored user input data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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- 29. A broadcast assembly system for assembling broadcast elements for broadcast, the system comprising an asset store for storing one or more broadcast elements, and an asset processor for processing broadcast elements, wherein the asset store, in use, stores at least one rule or algorithm for use in assembling broadcast elements for broadcast and the asset processor provides at least one tool for processing broadcast elements by editing.
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38. A broadcasting system comprising:
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i) an asset store for storing broadcast elements;
ii) a user input data store for storing user input data;
iii) an asset processor for processing broadcast elements; and
iv) a user input processor for processing user inputs, wherein the user input processor is adapted to process user input to provide user input data for storage in the user input data store and the asset processor is adapted to process broadcast elements for storage in the asset store. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 50, 51)
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48. A broadcasting system for supporting more than one independently interactive broadcasting channel.
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52. A method of broadcasting, said method comprising the steps of:
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i) receiving a list of broadcast elements;
ii) receiving a user input relating to at least one broadcast element, and iii) responding to the received user input. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A method of assembling broadcast elements for broadcasting, said method comprising the steps of:
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i) processing at least one broadcast element and loading the processed broadcast element to an asset store;
ii) receiving, via a user input, data relating to at least one broadcast element in the asset store; and
iii) storing one or more rules or algorithms for use in assembling a set of broadcast elements for broadcast in accordance with received data. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68)
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Specification