Multi-Station Media Controller

• US 20080253307A1
• Filed: 04/13/2007
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WideOrbit
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Irvin, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,889,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/279
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/06 among broadcast stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services

Abstract

A system including a plurality of software-controlled broadcast stations each having at least one media asset, and a controller to allow a user to link a first media asset of a first one of the stations to a second media asset of a second one of the stations. When the user schedules the first station to broadcast the first media asset at a specified time, the controller automatically causes the second station to broadcast the second media asset at the specified time.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of software-controlled broadcast stations each having at least one media asset; and

a controller to allow a user to link a first media asset of a first one of the stations to a second media asset of a second one of the stations, such that when the user schedules the first station to broadcast the first media asset at a specified time, the controller automatically causes the second station to broadcast the second media asset at the specified time.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second media assets comprise jingles.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein one of the stations operates as a leader station, and another of the stations operates as a follower station during a simulcast.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the follower station controls a switch to forward a signal representing a common program from the leader station to a signal modulator associated with the follower station during a first time period, and to forward a signal representing the second media asset from the follower station to the signal modulator during a second time period.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller allows the user to link the first media asset of the first station to a media asset of each of the other stations, such that when the user schedules the first station to broadcast the first media asset at a specified time, the controller automatically causes all other stations to broadcast respective media assets linked to the first media asset at the specified time.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the software-controlled broadcast stations comprise software-controlled radio stations.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the software-controlled broadcast stations stream programs over a network.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface to allow a user to select which of the media assets to be linked together.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database storing information about which media assets are linked together.

10. A system comprising:

a software-controlled leader station associated with a first media asset; and

a software-controlled follower station associated with a second media asset that is linked to the first media asset, the follower station to monitor media assets played by the leader station, such that when the leader station plays the first media asset, the follower station automatically plays the second media asset.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the software-controlled broadcast stations comprise software-controlled radio stations.

12. A computer-implemented method comprising:

linking a first media asset of a first software-controlled broadcast station to a second media asset of a second software-controlled broadcast station;

providing a user interface to allow a user to schedule broadcast of the first media asset at a specified time by the first station; and

automatically causing the second media asset to be broadcast by the second station at the specified time.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the second media asset is broadcast by the second station at the specified time without input from the user regarding when to broadcast the second media asset.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the first and second media assets comprise jingles.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising designating the first station as a leader station and the second station as a follower station during a simulcast.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising controlling a switch associated with the follower station to forward a signal representing a common program from the leader station to a signal modulator associated with the follower station during a first time period, and to forward a signal representing the second media asset from the follower station to the signal modulator during a second time period.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing a second user interface to allow the user to select which of the media assets to be linked together.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising broadcasting radio frequency signals associated with the first and second media assets.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising streaming data packets associated with the first and second media assets over a network.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising executing parallel processes to implement the software-controlled broadcast stations, each process corresponding to one of the stations.

21. A computer-implemented method comprising:

providing a user interface to allow a user to link media assets of different stations such that during a simultaneous broadcast, when one of the stations operating in a leader mode plays a media asset that is linked to other media assets of other stations, the other stations automatically play respective media assets.

22. A system comprising:

means for linking a first media asset of a first software-controlled broadcast station to a second media asset of a second software-controlled broadcast station;

means for allowing a user to schedule broadcast of the first media asset at a specified time by the first station; and

means for causing the second media asset to be broadcast by the second station at the specified time without input from the user regarding when to broadcast the second media asset.