Methods for creating a customized program from a variety of sources

• US 7,017,120 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2001
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shnier J. Mitchell
• Original Assignee: Shnier J. Mitchell
• Inventors: Shnier, J. Mitchell
• Primary Examiner(s): Herndon, Heather R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUTTON JR, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US09/994,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20020049974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,574 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94, 345/783
• US Class Current: 715/783
• 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: 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 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; 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 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02

Abstract

The invention provides a method and system for defining a personalized sequence of discrete media content segments to be played at particular times. The media content segments are selected from live media content segments and archived media content segments. The method includes specifying an order of play of the media segments; specifying specific live media content segments having defined start times, durations and repeat intervals; and deriving a play sequence. The media content segments may be audio or video content segments. The system in a preferred embodiment is carried out using a series of web pages and the content defined by the sequence is provided to the user over a computer network.

Claims

1. A method for creating and playing a customized program while connected to a data communications network, comprising:

a) storing media references in a storage means connected to said data communications network, each media reference providing descriptive information and an address to locate corresponding media content on media servers connected to said data communications network, said media servers comprising;

means to store archived media segments each having predetermined durations and received through a media stream which for a user can be started at an arbitrary offset from the beginning of one of the archived media segments and said media stream can be paused and resumed as desired by said user, and/or

means to produce a continuously-playing live broadcast media stream that is simultaneously broadcast to any number of users and therefore cannot be paused or controlled by individual users,

b) providing means for a plurality of users to create and store their own customized programs, including;

means for each user connected to said data communications network to examine the media references stored in said media reference storage means,

means for each user to build and store onto a shared schedule server their own customized program by selecting the media references for the desired archived media segments and live broadcast media streams, and by specifying a start time or sequence position for each desired archived media segment and/or live broadcast media stream and a maximum play duration for each desired archived media segment and/or live broadcast media stream,

c) providing means for receiving and playing a plurality of media streams, including;

means to enable said users to uniquely identify themselves to said shared schedule server,

means for said shared schedule server to select each said uniquely identified user'"'"'s said stored customized program,

means to receive and play the media streams for each said user, according to said selected stored customized program,

means to interrupt the playing of a first media stream with a second media stream if said second media stream is scheduled to start before the playing of said first media stream has completed, and means to automatically resume playing said interrupted first media stream when the playing of said interrupting second media stream is completed,

whereby each said user'"'"'s customized program can include predetermined start times and maximum play durations of both the continuously-playing live broadcast streaming media and the archived media segments, so that the receiving of the customized program can be entirely automatic and not require manual intervention to start, stop, or resume any type of media, and

whereby said users can access their customized programs and immediately receive and simultaneously play their corresponding media streams using any media stream receiving and playing means connected to said data communications network without the need for advance downloads of media content.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when automatically resuming play of an interrupted archived media segment, the offset used begins earlier in said media segment than when said interruption occurred, whereby an interrupted word or sentence can be heard in its entirety.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a repeat interval can be specified for said selected media references used to build said customized program, whereby a single entry in said customized program can result in the playing of the corresponding media stream only at predetermined intervals and for predetermined durations, even for continuously-playing live broadcast media streams.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said shared schedule server includes means to maintain a record of which of the archived media segments each said user has played along with the offsets to which partially-played media segments have been played, whereby each said user can stop receiving a partially-played archived media segment and later, from the same or a different media stream receiving and playing means, automatically resume receiving said partially-played archived media segment.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said user can store a plurality of said customized programs, said customized programs assigned specific times-of-day and days-of-week when they will be automatically utilized, whereby each said user can create customized programs suitable for different times of the day, or days of the week, and automatically receive these at the assigned times.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said users can store a plurality of said customized programs, said customized programs available for said users to manually select when playing their media streams.