Audio program delivery system

• US 6,529,584 B1
• Filed: 09/19/2000
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rahsaan Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Rahsaan Incorporated
• Inventors: Stearman, Shannon, Engels, Kenneth M., Ravago, Ben
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Escalante, Ovidio
• Application Number:
  US09/665,008
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 379/101.01, 379/67.1, 379/68, 379/88.13, 379/88.16, 379/102.01, 379/102.02, 379/102.03, 379/374.01, 379/374.02, 705/26
• US Class Current: 379/67.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML

Abstract

A navigable audio delivery system includes an audio application and content. The application includes control data relating to the delivery of audio content to a user replay device. The delivery system facilitates the navigation between logical portions of the audio content by associating tag data with the audio content. The system also facilitates navigation between parallel portions of an audio program by including multiple layers of content in the audio program that is delivered to the user replay device.

Claims

1. A navigable audio system, comprising:

an audio application database, the audio application database storing control data for controlling the replay of audio segments in an audio program;

an audio content database, the audio content database storing audio segments content; and

an application replay module, the application replay module extracting audio application data from the audio application database, the audio application data specially identifying audio segments and including a predetermined order and arrangement for replaying the specifically identified audio segments as a single audio program, the application replay module transmitting control signals to an audio replay module, the control signals generated in accordance with audio application data, the control signals facilitating the replaying of a plurality of audio segments stored in said audio content database;

an audio replay module, the audio replay module receiving control signals from the application replay module, the audio replay module responding to control signals from the application replay module by facilitating the transmission of the plurality of audio segments, as a single user program, to a user replay device; and

a telephone interface, the telephone interface facilitating the communication between the audio replay module and the user replay device, the telephony interface further facilitating the communication between the application replay module and the user replay module.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio replay module facilitates the concurrent replay of at least two audio segments during a portion of the program replay.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the application replay module responds to signals from the user replay device to increase the prominence of an audio segment when more than one audio segment is replayed by the audio replay module.

4. A platform for delivering audio programs, comprising:

a database, the database storing audio application data, the database coupled to an application replay module;

an application replay module, the application replay module extracting data related to an audio application for replay, the audio application data specifically identifying a plurality of audio segments and specifying a predetermined order and arrangement for replaying the specifically identified audio segments as a single audio program, the application replay module facilitating the playback of the plurality of audio segments associated with the replayed audio application;

an audio replay module, the audio replay module coupled to the application replay module, audio replay module coupled to an audio database, the audio replay module delivering the plurality of audio segments, as a single user program, to a user audio output device;

an audio database, the audio database storing audio segments, each audio segment associated with at least one identifying tag; and

a telephony interface, the telephony interface coupled to the audio replay module and coupled to the application replay module, the telephony interface facilitating the reception of data from a user communication device and further facilitating the delivery of audio content to the user communication device.

5. A system for providing navigable audio, comprising:

an audio processing module, the audio processing module receiving and processing audio content;

an audio application storage module, the audio application storage module storing at least one audio application, the audio application specifically identifying a plurality audio segments and specifying a predetermined order and arrangement for replaying the specifically identified audio segments as a single audio program;

a preferences module, the preference module storing user preferences;

an audio content storage module, the audio content storage module storing audio content for replay,

a media server for processing audio programs, the media server coupled to the audio application storage module and further coupled to an audio server, the media server facilitating the replaying of a plurality of audio segments as a single user program by reference to said scored audio application;

an audio server for replaying audio segments for audio programs, the audio server receiving control data from the media server; and

a telephone interface for communicating with a user replay and input device, the telephone interface coupled to the audio server, the telephone interface coupled to the media server.