Providing multi-tiered broadcasting services
First Claim
1. A method for providing multi-tiered broadcasting services to satellite radio subscribers, comprising the steps of:
- at least one satellite transmitter broadcasting primary content over at least one primary content channel;
the at least one satellite transmitter broadcasting secondary content over at least one secondary-content channel;
a plurality of first satellite radio receivers playing only said primary content to a corresponding plurality of first subscribers subscribing to a first tier broadcasting service;
a plurality of second satellite radio receivers playing both said primary content and said secondary content to a plurality of second subscribers subscribing to a second tier broadcasting service;
the at least one satellite transmitter transmitting, to said first satellite radio receivers of said first subscribers, a first access control message to configure said first satellite radio receivers to play only said primary content; and
the at least one satellite transmitter transmitting, to said second satellite radio receivers of said second subscribers, a second access control message to configure said second satellite radio receivers to play both said primary content and said secondary content.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A secondary satellite radio or broadcast channel is used to broadcast advertisement clips (e.g., audio clips) to a receiver for subsequent decoding and playback. The receiver is configured for different tiers of service, e.g., one that delivers substantially advertising-free content and another that delivers content that includes more significant amounts of advertising. The content delivered to both is the same content; however, for the service tier that includes more advertising, the advertisements broadcast on the secondary channel are interleaved into the content, preferably in such a way that the continuity of the content being delivered is not compromised.
-
Citations
43 Claims
-
1. A method for providing multi-tiered broadcasting services to satellite radio subscribers, comprising the steps of:
-
at least one satellite transmitter broadcasting primary content over at least one primary content channel; the at least one satellite transmitter broadcasting secondary content over at least one secondary-content channel; a plurality of first satellite radio receivers playing only said primary content to a corresponding plurality of first subscribers subscribing to a first tier broadcasting service; a plurality of second satellite radio receivers playing both said primary content and said secondary content to a plurality of second subscribers subscribing to a second tier broadcasting service; the at least one satellite transmitter transmitting, to said first satellite radio receivers of said first subscribers, a first access control message to configure said first satellite radio receivers to play only said primary content; and the at least one satellite transmitter transmitting, to said second satellite radio receivers of said second subscribers, a second access control message to configure said second satellite radio receivers to play both said primary content and said secondary content. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A system for providing multi-tiered satellite radio broadcasting services to subscribers, comprising:
-
means for broadcasting primary content over at least one primary content channel; means for broadcasting secondary content over at least one secondary-content channel; a plurality of first means for playing only said primary content to a plurality of first subscribers subscribing to a first tier satellite radio broadcasting service; a plurality of second means for playing both said primary content and said secondary content to a plurality of second subscribers subscribing to a second tier satellite radio broadcasting service; a means for transmitting, to said plurality of first means for playing, a first access control message to configure said first satellite radio receivers to play only said primary content; and a means for transmitting, to said plurality of second means for playing, a second access control message to configure said second satellite radio receivers to play both said primary content and said secondary content. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied in the medium, wherein, when the computer-readable program code is executed by a computer, the computer implements a method for providing satellite radio multi-tiered broadcasting services to subscribers, the method comprising:
-
controlling the broadcasting by at least one satellite transmitter of primary content over at least one primary content channel; controlling the broadcasting by the at least one satellite transmitter of secondary content over at least one secondary-content channel; enabling a plurality of first satellite radio receivers to play only said primary content to a corresponding plurality of first subscribers subscribing to a first tier broadcasting service; and enabling a plurality of second satellite radio receivers to play both said primary content and said secondary content to a plurality of second subscribers subscribing to a second tier broadcasting service. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. A satellite radio receiver for use in a multi-tiered broadcasting service, wherein:
-
said satellite radio receiver is adapted to receive primary content over at least one primary content channel and secondary content over at least one secondary-content channel; and in a first configuration corresponding to a first service tier, said satellite radio receiver plays only said primary content, and, in a second configuration corresponding to a second service tier, said satellite radio receiver plays both said primary content and said secondary content; wherein said satellite radio receiver is further adapted to; require that at least a portion of said secondary content be played before playing said primary content, when said satellite radio receiver is configured to the second configuration; track how much of said secondary content has been played; and discontinue the requirement that said secondary content be played, upon the occurrence of a first predetermined triggering event. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
-
Specification