Synchronization of Preferred Perishable Content

• US 20150319122A1
• Filed: 07/13/2015
• Published: 11/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iHeartMedia Management Services, Inc. (iHeartMedia, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: iHeartMedia Management Services, Inc. (iHeartMedia, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lockhart, Kevin R., Wooden, Richard D., Zigler, Jeffrey D., Lockhart, Jacqueline J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,860,288 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/635 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/687 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

A user can specify particular news, weather, traffic, or other perishable content received on a particular Internet radio station or other media channel. The user can customize the station so that wherever the user is currently located, he can receive perishable content related to a preferred geographic location or other category. In some embodiments, a user can specify that a customized station plays local news from one city at the top of the hour, traffic from another city at 10 minutes past the hour, and music or other content at other times. The user can also customize the station to select the perishable content, or other original content, from the personal libraries of specified users. Thus, a user can customize not only the genre of content or select a particular local station, but can also modify the perishable content provided by the customized station.

Claims

1. A method of providing customized station content to a user device, the method comprising:

determining, at a content processing system, characteristics of music content to be included in a customized station, wherein the characteristics of the music content are determined based on first user-input from a user of the user device coupled to the content processing system via a communication network;

determining, at the content processing system, characteristics of perishable content to be included in the customized station, wherein the characteristics of the perishable content are determined based on second user-input from the user via the communication network;

receiving, at the content processing system, synchronization settings to synchronize, based on third user-input from the user, at least one period designated for preferred music content selected based on the first-user input and at least one period designated for preferred perishable content selected based on the second user-input;

delivering the preferred music content to the user using the content processing system; and

delivering the preferred perishable content to the user as per the synchronization settings.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronization settings comprise specification of a server with which the synchronization is to take place.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronization settings comprise a user selection to perform the synchronization at a particular time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronization settings comprise a user selection of particular time intervals the synchronization will occur.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronization settings comprise a user selection of manually forcing the synchronization.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronization further comprises synchronization with a central server to obtain new preferred music content or new preferred perishable content.

7. A method of providing customized station content to a user device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a content processing system, first user-input from a user of the user device coupled to the content processing system via a communication network, the first user-input specifying at least one category of music content to be included in a customized station;

receiving, at the content processing system, second user-input from the user via the communication network, the second user-input specifying at least one category of non-music content to be included in the customized station;

receiving, at the content processing system, a third user-input from the user via the communication system including user adjusted synchronization settings to synchronize delivery to the user device of the music content based on the first-user input and the non-music content based on the second user-input;

establishing, at the content processing system, a schedule based at least in part on the synchronizing settings, including both the music content based on the first user-input and the non-music content based on the second input; and

delivering the music content and the non-music content to the user device according to the schedule.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising, when the synchronization is complete, generating additional schedule content to replace what has been delivered to the user device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the additional schedule content is available for subsequent synchronization.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising recording history of content played on the user device and storing that history record in designated computer storage associated with the content processing system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the recording history of content played includes information about the user device on which the content was played.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising tracking any of:

when the music content was played;

on which user device the music content was played;

which songs of the music content were skipped;

which non-music content was used;

or

song ratings of the music content.

13. A system for providing customized station content to a user device, the system including a processor configured to:

periodically synchronize perishable content based on a received user device configuration;

manage access to the user device configuration during the synchronization;

determine whether commercial content or perishable content should be injected within the customized station content;

determine if the commercial content or the perishable content are added to a top of a playlist of the customized station; and

provide to a user device interface the customized station content based at least in part on the playlist and receive user actions following playing of at least part of the customized station content.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the injection of commercial content is based on system settings associated with a user'"'"'s subscription type.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the injection of commercial content is based on the received user device configuration that the user specifies via any of:

a PML application, PML website or content distribution system website.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the playing further includes controlling current content of the playlist and audio playback threads.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the audio playback threads comprise multiple audio playback threads to execute radio-like transitions.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein, during the synchronizing, music content and commercial content are downloaded or streamed to the user device.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein, during the synchronization, a most recent version of the perishable content is provided to the user device.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein, during the synchronization process, the system obtains a history of songs played from the user device.