Broadcast program and advertising distribution system

• US 20080155616A1
• Filed: 02/13/2001
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Personal Audio, LLC
• Original Assignee: Personal Audio, LLC
• Inventors: Logan, James D., Call, Charles G., Goessling, Daniel F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,509,178 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/93
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43074 of additional data with content streams on the same device, e.g. of EPG data or interactive icon with a TV program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An audio program and message distribution system in which a host system organizes and transmits program segments to client subscriber locations. The host organizes the program segments by subject matter and creates scheduled programming in accordance with preferences associated with each subscriber. Program segments are associated with descriptive subject matter segments, and the subject matter segments may be used to generate both text and audio cataloging presentations to enable the user to more easily identify and select desirable programming. A playback unit at the subscriber location reproduces the program segments received from the host and includes mechanisms for interactively navigating among the program segments. A usage log is compiled to record the subscriber'"'"'s use of the provided program materials, to return data to the host for billing, to adaptively modify the subscriber'"'"'s preferences based on actual usage, and to send subscriber-generated comments and requests to the host for processing. Voice input and control mechanisms included in the player allow the user to perform hands-free navigation of the program materials and to dictate comments and messages which are returned to the host for retransmission to other subscribers. The program segments sent to each subscriber may include advertising materials which the user can selectively play to obtain credits against the subscriber fee. Parallel audio and text transcript files for at least selected programming enable subject matter searching and synchronization of the audio and text files. Speech synthesis may be used to convert transcript files into audio format. Image files may also be transmitted from the server for synchronized playback with the audio programming.

Claims

1. A personalized broadcasting system for distributing and playing selections from a collection of available audio and/or visual program segments for the benefit of a predetermined subscriber, said system comprising, in combination:

means for distributing to said subscriber a plurality of catalog entries each identifying one or more of said program segments,

means for accepting from said subscriber the identification of a plurality of requested program segments constituting a subset of said plurality of program segments specified by said catalog entries,

means responsive to the receipt of said identification for generating a compilation of program segments selected from said collection based at least in part on said identification,

a player accessible to said subscriber comprising, in combination,

means for receiving said compilation of programs, means for selectively reproducing program segments within said compilation, means responsive to user control for inhibiting the reproduction of all or part of any program segment within said compilation, and

means for recording a usage log containing the identity of each program segment reproduced by said player from said compilation,

means for transferring said usage log from said player to a processing location located remotely from said player, and

processing means at said processing location for receiving said usage log and generating subscriber activity information derived from said usage log.

2. A personalized broadcasting system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said processing means produces subscriber billing data indicating an amount due from said subscriber in payment for the program segments reproduced by said player.

3. A personalized broadcasting system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

means for storing a subscriber charge rate associated with at least some of the program segments in said collection, and means for generating subscriber billing data based at least in part on the charge rate associated with program segments identified in said log file as having been reproduce by said player.

4. A personalized broadcasting system as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least some of said available program segments in said collection of available programs are advertisements provided on behalf of one or more advertisers and wherein said processing means further produces advertising fee data indicating the extent to which individual ones of said advertisements were reproduced by said player.

5. A personalized broadcasting system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

means for storing an advertising fee rate associated with at least some of the program segments in said collection, and means for generating advertising fee data based at least in part on the advertising fee rate associated with program segments identified in said log file as having been reproduce by said player.

6. A personalized broadcasting system as set forth in claim 5 further comprising:

means for storing a subscriber charge rate associated with at least some of the program segments in said collection, and means for generating subscriber billing data based at least in part on the charge rate associated with program segments identified in said log file as having been reproduced by said player, whereby amounts charged to said subscriber are increased to reflect the extent to which at least selected program segments are reproduced.

7. A personalized broadcasting system as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least some of said available program segments in said collection of available programs is associated with one or more specified content providers and wherein said processing means further produces royalty payment data indicating the extent to which program segments from individual content providers were reproduced by said player.

8. A personalized broadcasting system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

means for storing a provider royalty rate associated with at least some of the program segments in said collection, and means for generating provider royalty data based at least in part on the royalty rate associated with program segments identified in said log file as having been reproduce by said player.

9. Apparatus for reproducing selections from a recorded compilation of individual program segments each consisting of audio and/or video programming data, said apparatus comprising, in combination,

a player for selectively reproducing specified ones of said program segments in a form perceivable to a user,

means for accepting a selection command from said user for initiating the reproduction of a selected program segment specified by said selection command,

means responsive to said selection command for producing a program identification value which identifies said selected program segment,

means responsive to said selection command for producing a first time marker value indicative of the time when the reproduction of said selected program segment was initiated,

means responsive to a subsequent command from said user for terminating the reproduction of said selected program segment,

means responsive to said subsequent command for producing a second time marker value indicative of the time when the reproduction of said selected program segment was terminated,

means for recording a log file comprising a plurality of entries, each of said entries containing a program identification code and at least one timing value based on at least one of said time marker values, and

means for processing said log file to produce summary information characterizing the content of the information reproduced by said player.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said programming material consists primarily of audio programming data and wherein said player selectively reproduces specified ones of said program segments as audible sounds perceivable the a listener.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said compilation of individual program segments include one or more advertising segments provided for the benefit of an advertiser and wherein said means for processing said log file includes means for determining an advertising fee chargeable to said advertiser based on the extent to which said advertising segments were reproduced by said player.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said compilation of individual program segments include one or more licensed segments supplied by a content provider and wherein said means for processing said log file includes means for determining a royalty amount payable to said content provider based on the extent to which said licensed segments were reproduced by said player.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said means for processing said log file includes means for determining a usage fee chargeable to a subscriber based on the actual reproduction of program segments by said player.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said individual program segments include both advertising segments and non-advertising segments and wherein said means for processing said log file includes means for increasing said usage fee when the extent of actual reproduction of said non-advertising segments increases.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said means for processing said log file further includes means for decreasing said usage fee when the extent of actual reproduction of said advertising segments increases.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein said individual program segments include licensed segments obtained from a content provider and wherein said means for processing said log file further includes means for determining a royalty fee payable to said content provider based on the actual reproduction of said licensed segments by said player.

17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said individual program segments include both advertising segments and nonadvertising segments and wherein said means for processing said log file includes means for decreasing said usage fee when the extent of actual reproduction of said advertising segments increases.

18. A personalized broadcasting system for distributing and reproducing program segments from a collection of available audio and/or visual program segments, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

means for accepting from said user the specification of one or more subject matter identifiers,

means responsive to the receipt of said subject matter identifiers for transmitting to said user a compilation of program segments selected from said collection in accordance with said subject matter identifiers

a player accessible to said user comprising, in combination,

means for receiving said compilation of programs, means responsive to user control for selectively reproducing particular ones of program segments within said compilation, and

means for recording a usage log containing the identity of each program segment reproduced by said player from said compilation,

means for transferring said usage log from said player to a processing location located remotely from said player, and

processing means at said processing location for receiving said usage log and generating subscriber activity information derived from said usage log.

19. A system as set forth in claim 18 wherein

said means for accepting from said user the specification of one or more subject matter identifiers comprises means for accepting from said user the specification of one or more search words, and

wherein said means responsive to the receipt of said subject matter identifiers comprises:

means for comparing said search words with a database of descriptions of program segments to identify selected ones of said segments which are related to said search terms, and

means for transmitting to said user a compilation of program segments selected from said collection in accordance with said search terms.

20. A system as set forth in claim 18 wherein said means for recording a usage log containing the identity of each program segment reproduced by said player from said compilation further comprises means for recording the duration of each program segment reproduced by said player.

21. A system as set forth in claims 20 wherein player further includes a volume control for varying the volume at which said program segments are reproduced and wherein said means for recording a usage log containing the identify of each program further comprises means for recording the volume at which each such program was reproduced.

22. A system as set forth in claim 18 wherein said means for accepting from said user the specification of one or more subject matter identifiers comprises means for accepting from said user the specification of one or more subject matter categories and wherein said means responsive to the receipt of said categories comprises means for transmitting to said user a compilation of program segments including program segments associated with said categories.

23. A system as set forth in claim 18 wherein said means responsive to the receipt of said categories comprises means for transmitting to said user a plurality of catalog entries describing program segments associated with said categories and wherein said means for transmitting said compilation includes means responsive to said user'"'"'s identification of specific ones of said catalog entries for including program segments in said compilation corresponding to said specific ones of said catalog entries.

25. Apparatus as set forth in claim 22 wherein at least some of said attribute data comprises program preference information, wherein at least some of said individual program segments are selected based at least in part on said program preference information, and wherein at least some of said selected advertising segments are selected based on said program preference information.

26. Apparatus as set forth in claim 22 wherein at least some of said attribute data specifies personal characteristics of said user and wherein as least some of said advertising characteristics are selected based on said personal characteristics.

27. Apparatus as set forth in claim 22 wherein at least a part of said attribute data is indicative of the extent to which said user desires to combine advertising segments with program segments and wherein said apparatus includes means responsive to said part of said attribute data for controlling the insertion of advertising segments into said sequence.

28. Apparatus as set forth in claim 25 wherein said part of said attribute data indicates a desired subscription cost which the user desired to pay, wherein the reproduction of at least selected ones of said program segments increases the subscription cost to the user, wherein the insertion of at least selected ones of said advertising segments decreases the subscription cost to the user, and wherein said means for controlling the insertion of advertising segments into said sequence varies the number of said selected ones of said advertising segments which are inserted in order to achieve said desired subscription cost.

29. A personalized broadcasting system for distributing and reproducing program segments as set forth in claim 18 wherein said means for transmitting to said user a compilation of program segments includes means for encrypting said program segments prior to transmission, and wherein said player includes means responsive to a password supplied by an authorized user for decrypting said program segments.

30. A personalized broadcasting system as set forth in claim 18 wherein said means for transmitting to said user a compilation of program segments includes means for preventing said transmitting until a usage log indicating the extent of use of a previously transmitted compilation is received from said player.

24. Apparatus for reproducing a recorded compilation consisting of both individual program segments and individual advertising segments, said apparatus comprising, in combination,

a player for selectively reproducing said program segments and said advertising segments in a form perceivable to a user,

means for accepting one or more selection requests from said user requesting the reproduction of a sequence of selected ones of said individual program segments,

means for accepting from said user attribute data which characterizes said user, and

means responsive to said for attribute data for controlling the insertion of selected ones of said advertising segments in said sequence with said individual program segments.

31. Apparatus for reproducing a recorded compilation consisting of both individual program segments, said apparatus comprising, in combination,

means for producing a series of a program session schedules each of which specifies an ordered sequence of said program segments a player for selectively reproducing said program segments in a form perceivable to a user in the order specified by one of said session schedules,

means for recording a usage log identifying program segments actually reproduced by said player, and

means for excluding from subsequent ones of said program segment schedules at least selected ones of the program segments actually reproduced by said player.

32. Apparatus as set forth in claim 31 further comprising means for establishing a serialized group of said program segments having a predetermined playing order, and means responsive to the identification in said usage log of a given program segment in said serialized group for adding the next program segment segment in said playing order to a subsequent one of said program session schedules.

33. Apparatus as set forth in claim 32 wherein said serialized group consists of program segments containing advertising to be presented in said predetermined playing order.