System and Method for Controlling the Distribution of Electronic Media

• US 20130185666A1
• Filed: 01/17/2012
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marlin Software, LLC
• Original Assignee: Frank Kenna III
• Inventors: Kenna, Frank III, Patel, Preeti
• Granted Patent: US 9,959,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]

Abstract

Distribution of media data to multiple displays is managed by displaying a representation of the access relationships among users, administrators, data, and the displays in the form of a hierarchical tree diagram or corporate organizational chart. The representation can be organized as a number of linked data objects having specific levels of hierarchy, each data object expressing data distribution and access control relationships which are at least partly determined implicitly by their position within the hierarchy. By interacting graphically with the tree, a user can quickly and efficiently manage the distribution of data and the administrative access relationships among displays.

Claims

1. A system for controlling delivery of display information to one or more displays over a network, the system comprising:

a GUI coupled to a computer;

the computer executing software controlling delivery of display information to the one or more displays;

the software presenting a hierarchical tree structure on the GUI having data objects associated with control of delivery of display information to one or more displays associated with a particular data object;

wherein each data object is represented by an icon;

wherein the display information is assigned to each display according to the position of the data objects within the hierarchy.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the hierarchical tree structure is modifiable.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein displays are assigned to one or more data objects.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein display information delivered to each display is modifiable only by the administrators or users assigned to data objects superior to the display in the hierarchical tree structure.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein users assigned to each data object are modifiable only by administrators assigned to that data object or to data objects at a higher level in the hierarchical tree structure.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each icon represents more than one display.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein administrators, users, or display information are assigned to one or more data objects.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the hierarchical tree structure is modified using a drag-drop procedure.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein modifying the hierarchical tree structure reassigns administrators, users, or display information, to one or more data objects.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein modifying the hierarchical tree structure alters the distribution of display information to one or more locations.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein each icon includes buttons which allow access to view, assign, or modify users for displays associated with the data object represented by the icon, view, assign, or modify display information for displays associated with the data object represented by the icon, or to delete the icon and the data object represented by the icon from the tree.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein viewing, assigning or modifying users for locations associated with the icon or display information for subscriber displays associated with the icon is performed using a selection window, dialog, or menu.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein dragging an icon includes all icons lower in the tree.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein dragging an icon causes all icons lower in the tree to be reassigned.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more servers coupled to the network deliver display information to the displays over the network.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein users assigned to each data object have permission to assign, or modify the display information associated with that data object, or for data objects at a lower level in the hierarchy.

17. A method of controlling delivery of display information to one or more displays over a network, the method comprising:

providing a GUI coupled to a computer;

executing software on the computer controlling delivery of display information to the one or more displays;

presenting a hierarchical tree structure on the GUI having data objects associated with control of delivery of display information to one or more displays under a particular data object;

representing each data object in the hierarchical tree structure by an icon;

relating administrators, users, or display information to each display according to the position of the data objects within the hierarchy.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the GUI comprises one or more of a computer, a laptop, a smart phone, or a touch screen device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein functions of the GUI are accessible to one or more administrators or users.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein access by an administrator or user to functions of the GUI is limited based upon the data objects to which they are assigned and the by the positions of these data objects within the hierarchy.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein display information comprises electronic media data selected from the group consisting of:

audio, video, text, images, animations, web pages, streaming media data and combinations thereof.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein a user assigned to a display sets a sequential order and time limit for display information to be displayed on the display.