Computer touch screen radio station control system

• US 7,130,778 B1
• Filed: 07/17/2000
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Media Digital Incorporated (Media Digital)
• Original Assignee: Media Digital Incorporated (Media Digital)
• Inventors: Connell, John M., Mills, Dennis, Buck, Norman, Cyr, Doug
• Primary Examiner(s): JONES, HUGH M
• Application Number:
  US09/617,695
• Time in Patent Office: 2,297 Days
• Field of Search: 703/6, 348/461, 348/473
• US Class Current: 703/6
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/04 Studio equipment; Interconnection of studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2547 Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26208 the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/854 Content authoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/262 Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems

Abstract

A computerized audio or video signal control system controlled by an announcer and having a display of the available signal sources and scheduled events which can be activated, mixed, faded and cued by the announcer in the scheduled order or in an order the announcer desires. The control system provides the correlation between the displayed source or event name, the devices necessary to air the source or event and the routing necessary to air the event or source and then activates the proper devices to perform the task. The control system additionally logs the events actually activated in order.

Claims

1. A system for interactive management of audio events from a plurality of audio sources, the system comprising:

at least one audio source associated with a plurality of audio events;

a touch screen computer having a touch screen display coupled to the audio source for selection of audio events, the touch screen computer generating a schedule of audio events comprising the selected audio events;

a memory coupled to the touch screen computer for storing the schedule of audio events; and

means for playing the audio events from the associated audio source according to the schedule of audio events.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the schedule of audio events are displayed on the touch screen display.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the schedule of audio events is generated capable of modification.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the schedule of audio event can be modified by touching displayed schedule of audio events according to various modifying options.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein a modifying option comprises deactivation and activation of an audio event of the schedule of audio events.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein a modifying option comprises reordering of the audio events of the schedule of audio events.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the selection of an audio events results in immediate play of the selected audio events.

8. The system of claim 1, the touch screen computer further comprising:

a switch coupled to the audio source, the switch activated by the touch screen computer according to the selection of an audio event and the audio source associated with the selected audio event.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio source is a compact disc.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio source is a computer file.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer file is stored in the memory.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio source is a remote source accessed by the touch screen computer via a telephone line.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio source is a remote source accessed by the touch screen computer via a satellite feed.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of audio sources associated with the plurality of audio events.

15. A method for playing audio events from a plurality of audio sources using an interactive touch screen video system, the method comprising the steps of:

associating in a memory a plurality of audio events with an audio source;

displaying representations of a plurality of audio events on a touch screen display;

selecting a plurality of audio events by touching the displayed representation of the audio event;

storing a schedule of audio events from the selected audio events in a memory log; and

playing the audio events from the associated audio source according to the schedule of audio events in the memory log.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

displaying the schedule of audio events on the touch screen display; and

modifying the schedule of audio events by touching the displayed schedule of audio events according to various modifying options.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

associating a plurality of audio sources associated with a plurality of audio events.