Network audio distribution system and method

• US 8,429,287 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telegraph Peak Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Rangecast Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Sullivan, Terence Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thieu, Benjamin M
• Application Number:
  US12/432,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20100281178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,455 Days
• Field of Search: 709/231, 709/203, 709/245, 709/217, 709/219, 370/213, 370/389, 370/401
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/00 Radio transmission systems, i.e. using radiation field H04B10/00, H04B15/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26616 for merging a unicast channel into a multicast channel, e.g. in a VOD application, when a client served by unicast channel catches up a multicast channel to save bandwidth data multicast over packet-switching network H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• 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 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/24 Systems for the transmission of television signals using pulse code modulation H04N21/00 takes precedence

Abstract

Audio content distribution from audio sources to client terminals through a network. An audio source interface receives raw audio from an audio source, and converts it into a digital audio clip in a digital audio packet, containing a timestamp and a channel identity corresponding to the audio source. A network audio server formats the digital audio packet into a network compliant digital audio file, which is stored at a network address. The network audio server generates a directory packet including the address of the digital audio file, the channel identity, and the timestamp, and, couples the directory packet to a directory server located on the network. The directory server outputs a directory stream to a client terminal on the network, which selects a directory packet and sends an audio file request through the network for the digital audio file. The audio file is then sent to the client terminal.

Claims

1. A system for distributing audio content from plural audio sources to plural client terminals located on a network, comprising:

an audio source interface coupled to receive an intermittent sequence of raw audio in real time as it is created from a first audio source, and operable to convert said intermittent sequence of raw audio into a series of digital audio clips that are isolated according to the squelch status of said first audio source, and which are incorporated into a series of related digital audio packets, in real time, each further containing a timestamp and a common channel identity corresponding to said first audio source;

a network audio server coupled to receive said series of related digital audio packets from said audio source interface in real time, and operable to format said series of related digital audio packets into a series of related digital audio files that are compliant with the network, and that are stored at a series of discrete network addresses, and wherein

said network audio server is operable to generate a series of directory packets, including said series of discrete network addresses of said series of related digital audio files, said channel identity, and said timestamps, and operable to couple said series of directory packets to a directory server located on the network, and wherein;

said directory server receives said series of directory packets and generates a directory stream in real time, including at least a portion of said series of directory packets, and couples said directory stream through the network to a first client terminal, and wherein

said first client terminal receives said directory stream, and is thereby made aware that said series of related digital audio files containing said intermittent sequence of raw audio are stored at said series of discrete network addresses, and selectively identifies a least a first one of said series of related directory packets according to a client profile, and subsequently communicates an audio file request through the network, requesting at least one of said series of related digital audio files, corresponding to said at least one of said series of directory packets, from said network audio server, and wherein

upon receipt of said audio file request, said audio server responds by coupling said requested digital audio file to said client terminal through the network.

2. The system of claim 1, and wherein said client terminal receives said requested digital audio file, reproduces the audio content therein and displays data contained in said digital audio file.

4. The system of claim 1, and wherein said directory server generates plural directory streams for delivery to plural client terminals disposed throughout the network.

5. The system of claim 1, and wherein;

said first client terminal accumulates plural directory packets in a database and subsequently selects directory packets from said database based on predetermined selection rules indexed to the content of said directory packets.

6. The system of claim 1, and wherein said directory server is assigned a directory server name, and wherein said first client terminal is assigned a unique username that includes said directory server name.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an administrative server located on the network, for storing unique device names and network addresses for said network audio server, and said directory server.

8. The system of claim 1, and wherein said network audio server incorporates a value indicating time ordering of said series of related directory packets and corresponding series of digital audio clips.

9. The system of claim 1, and wherein said directory packets include plural additional data fields identifying;

a data type, a unique channel code, a duration of said digital audio clips, a name of the digital audio clip, and at least a first text tag.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second directory server adapted to generate a second directory stream, and wherein said directory server couples said directory stream to said second directory server.

11. The system of claim 1, and wherein

said common channel identity contained in said series of directory packets includes one or more data fields descriptive of said first audio source, selected from the following data fields;

an alpha-numeric field that uniquely defines said first audio source;

an identity of a radio frequency receiver;

a geographic descriptor;

a political jurisdiction;

a government service function code;

a code identifying an owner of said raw audio content;

a code identifying a particular communication channel, and

a unique identity of said audio source interface.

12. The system of claim 1, and wherein

said client terminal is configured in accordance with a client profile that defines said directory server as a source for system information and a source for said directory stream, including directory packet selection criteria, and can define the content and appearance of information displayed on a display in said client terminal.

13. The system of claim 12, and wherein

said client profile is stored in said directory server, and is addressed for access by said first client terminal according to a directory server name, a user name, and a profile name.

14. The system of claim 12, and wherein

said directory packet selection criteria includes plural pre-defined banks of audio sources and channel identity matching filters used to select audio files to download.

15. The system of claim 14, and wherein

said pre-defined banks of audio sources are individually selectable in said client terminal.

16. The system of claim 1, and wherein

said first client terminal sequentially identifies plural directory packets from said directory stream, and sends plural audio file requests to corresponding network audio servers, and wherein

said first client terminals reproduces plural digital audio files received in response to said plural audio file requests in time ordered sequence according to timestamps corresponding to said plural digital audio files.

17. The system of claim 1, and wherein

said audio source interface periodically queries said first audio source for audio content.

18. The system of claim 1, and wherein

said series of related digital audio packets is assigned a file name by said audio source, and wherein

said file name includes plural descriptive fields selected from among the following descriptive fields:

a channel code identity;

a descriptive text tag;

a time of capture;

a duration of said digital audio clip;

an identity of said audio source interface, and

an identity of said directory server.

19. The system of claim 1, and wherein the network is the Internet, and wherein

said series of discrete network addresses of said series of related digital audio files are an Internet URL, and wherein

said directory server will not send an audio file URL in a said directory stream to any client terminal that is not authorized by said directory server.

20. The system of claim 19, and wherein

said network audio server requires an access code from said first client terminal prior to sending said digital audio file.

3. The system of claim l, and wherein said audio source interface is further coupled to receive data related to said intermittent sequence of raw audio from said an audio source, and incorporate said data into said series of related digital audio packets.

21. A method of distributing audio content from a first audio source to a first client terminal located on a network, utilizing an audio source interface, a network audio server, and a directory server, comprising the steps of:

coupling and intermittent sequence of raw audio in real time as it is created from the first audio source to the audio source interface;

converting the intermittent sequence of raw audio into a series of digital audio clips by isolating them according to the squelch status of the first audio source, and assembling a series of digital audio packets by the audio source interface, in real time, that each contains one of the series of digital audio clips, a timestamp and a common channel identity corresponding to the first audio source;

coupling the series of related digital audio packets, in real time, from the audio source interface to the network audio server;

formatting the series of digital audio packets into a series of related digital audio files that are network compliant by the network audio server, and storing the series of related digital audio files at a series of discrete network addresses, and, generating a corresponding series of directory packets, in real time, including the series of discrete network addresses, the channel identity, and the timestamps, and coupling the series of directory packets to the directory server in real time;

generating a directory stream by the directory server that includes at least a portion of the series of directory packets, and coupling the directory stream to the client terminal located on the network;

receiving the directory stream by the first client terminal, and thereby making the first client terminal aware that said series of related digital audio files containing said intermittent sequence of raw audio are stored at said series of discrete network addresses, and selectively identifying at least a first one of the series of related directory files, corresponding to said at least one of said series of directory packets, according to a user profile, and subsequently communicating an audio file request through the network from the first client terminal to the network audio server requesting the at least one of the series of digital audio files, and

coupling the requested digital audio file from the audio server to the first client terminal in response to receipt of the audio file request.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

receiving the requested digital audio file by the first client terminal;

reproducing the audio content in the requested digital audio file by the first client terminal, and

displaying the data contained in the digital audio file.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

receiving data related to the intermittent sequence of raw audio by the audio source interface from the audio source, and

incorporating the data into the series of digital audio packets.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

generating plural directory streams by the directory server, and

delivering the plural directory streams to plural client terminals disposed throughout the network.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

accumulating plural directory packets in a database in the first client terminal, and

subsequently selecting directory packets from the database based on predetermined selection rules indexed to the content of the directory packets.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the directory server is assigned a directory server name, further comprising the step of:

assigning the first client terminal a unique username that includes the directory server name.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

incorporating a value indicating time ordering of creation of the series of digital audio clips into the corresponding series of directory packets by the network audio server.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

including plural additional data fields into the series of directory packets, identifying a data type, a unique channel code, a duration of said audio clip, a name of the digital audio clip, and at least a first text tag.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein a second directory server is disposed upon the network, further comprising the steps of:

coupling the directory stream from the directory server to the second directory server, and

generating a second directory stream to at least a second client terminal by the second directory server.

30. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

including one or more of the following data fields descriptive of said first audio source in the sires of directory packets;

an alpha-numeric field that uniquely defines said first audio source;

an identity of a radio frequency receiver;

a geographic descriptor;

a political jurisdiction;

a government service function code;

a code identifying an owner of said raw audio content;

a code identifying a particular communication channel, and

a unique identity of said audio source interface.

31. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

assigning a client profile to the first client terminal, thereby defining the directory server as a source for the first client terminal'"'"'s directory stream, and a source for system information, and

configuring the first client terminal in accordance with the client profile, thereby establishing directory packet selection criteria and defining the content and appearance of information displayed on a display in the first client terminal.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

storing the client profile in the directory server at an address according to a directory server name, a client terminal name, and a client profile name, and

accessing the client profile by the first client terminal.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

including plural user-defined banks of audio sources and channel identity matching filters in the directory packet selection criteria, and

requesting audio content for download according to the directory packet selection criteria.

34. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

sequentially identifying plural directory packets from said directory stream by the first client terminal;

sending plural audio file requests to corresponding network audio servers;

reproducing plural digital audio files received by the first client terminal in response to the plural audio file requests in time ordered sequence according to timestamps stored in the plural digital audio files.

35. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

periodically querying the first audio source by the audio source interface for audio content.

36. The method of claim 21, wherein the network is the Internet and the series of discrete network addresses of the series of related digital audio files are URL'"'"'s, and further comprising the step of:

declining to send audio content by the directory server to any client terminal that is not authorized by said directory server.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of:

requiring an access code from said first client terminal prior to sending said requested digital audio file from the network audio server.