Automated content delivery to distributed media outlets

• US 8,443,046 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2009
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iHeartMedia Management Services, Inc. (iHeartMedia, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Clear Channel Management Services LP (iHeartMedia, Inc.)
• Inventors: Basu, Kohinoor, Ferry, Matthew M., Fulbright, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): BATES, KEVIN T
• Application Number:
  US12/382,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20090241000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,517 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207, 709/220, 705/14.61, 705/14.68, 705/14.73
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata

Abstract

A method can include sending a request to a media content provider requesting media content and receiving the media content and instructions from the media provider. The instructions can be utilized by the media provider to broadcast the media content. The media provider can store the received media content in a database process the instructions then distribute the media content and the instructions to distributed media outlets. The media content provider can receive information indicating that the media content was broadcast by the distributed media outlets according to the instructions.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending a request to a media content provider requesting media content, wherein an enterprise hub operatively coupled to a network sends the request via the network;

receiving the media content and instructions from the media provider to broadcast the media content;

storing the received media content m a database, wherein the database is operatively coupled to the enterprise hub;

processing the instructions;

distributing the media content and the instructions to distributed media outlets, wherein the enterprise hub automatically distributes the media content responsive to the processing of the instructions to broadcast the media content, and wherein distributing the media content and the instructions comprises;

(a) sending the instructions to the distributed media outlets;

(b) receiving acknowledgement of receipt of the instructions from the media outlets;

(c) receiving a request for the media content from the media outlets;

(d) sending the media content to the media outlets;

(e) receiving acknowledgement of receipt of the media content from the media outlets; and

receiving information indicating that the media content was broadcast by the distributed media outlets according to the instructions.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein (a)-(e) are performed using extensible-markup language (XML) messaging.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the instructions include information associated with the media content, the information identifying the distributed media outlets and when to broadcast the media content, including weeks, days, daypart, and flighting information.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating a unique identifier with the media content, wherein the unique identifier is distributed with the media content to the distributed media outlets and the unique identifier is used by the distributed media outlets to identify the media content.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

validating the instructions, wherein the validating determines if the instructions include specific data fields;

sending an error message to the media content provider if the validating determines that the instructions lack a specific data field;

receiving re-sent instructions; and

repeating the validating with the re-sent instructions.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

processing the received information; and

sending a notice indicating if the media content was broadcast by the distributed media outlets in accordance with at least part of the instructions.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

inserting the media content into a traffic and billing system;

broadcasting the media content; and

transmitting the information indicating whether the media content was broadcast by the distributed media outlets in accordance with at least part of the instructions.

8. A system comprising:

a network;

a processor operatively coupled to a network; and

a database operatively coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor is adapted to;

request media content from a media provider via the network;

receive the media content and instructions to broadcast the media content from the media content provider;

store the received media content in the database;

process the instructions;

distribute the media content and the instructions to distributed media outlets, wherein the processor automatically distributes the media content based on the processing of the instructions and instructs the distributed media outlets on broadcasting the media content;

receive information indicating if the media content was broadcast by the distributed media outlets according to the instructions; and

wherein the processor is adapted to distribute the media content and the instructions by;

(a) sending the instructions to the distributed media outlets;

(b) receiving acknowledgement of receipt of the instructions from the distributed media outlets;

(c) receiving a request for the media content from the distributed media outlets;

(d) sending the media content to the distributed media outlets; and

(e) receiving acknowledgement of receipt of the media content from the distributed media outlets.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the instructions include information associated with the media content, the information identifying the distributed media outlets and when to broadcast the media content, including weeks, days, daypart, and flighting information.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the processor is further adapted to associate a unique identifier with the media content, wherein the unique identifier is distributed with the media content to the distributed media outlets and is used by the distributed media outlets to identify the media content.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the processor is further adapted to:

validate the instructions, wherein the validating determines if the instructions include specific data fields;

send an error message to media content provider if the validating determines that the instructions lack a required field of data;

receive re-sent instructions; and

repeat the validating with the re-sent instructions.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the computer is further adapted to:

process the received information; and

send a notice indicating whether the media content was aired by the distributed media outlets according to the instructions.

13. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer usable medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code configured to;

request media content from a media provider via the network;

receive the media content and instructions to broadcast the media content from the media content provider;

store the received media content in a database;

process the instructions;

distribute the media content and the instructions to distributed media outlets based on the processing of the instructions and the computer program code is configured to instruct the distributed media outlets on airing the media content;

receive information indicating if the media content was broadcast by the distributed media outlets according to the instructions;

wherein the computer program code is configured to distribute the media content and the instructions by;

(a) sending the instructions to the distributed media outlets;

(b) receiving acknowledgement of receipt of the instructions from the distributed media outlets;

(c) receiving a request for the media content from the distributed media outlets;

(d) sending the media content to the distributed media outlets; and

(e) receiving acknowledgement of receipt of the media content from the distributed media outlets.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the instructions include information associated with the media content, the information identifying the distributed media outlets and when to broadcast the media content, including weeks, days, daypart, and flighting information.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the computer program code is further configured to associate a unique identifier with the media content, wherein the unique identifier is distributed with the media content to the distributed media outlets and is used by the distributed media outlets to identify the media content.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the computer program code is further configured to

process the received information;

and

send a notice indicating whether the media content was aired by the distributed media outlets according to the instructions.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the computer program code is further configured to:

validate the instructions, wherein the validating determines if the instructions include specific data fields;

send an error message to media content provider if the validating determines that the instructions lack a required field of data;

receive re-sent instructions; and

repeat the validating with the re-sent instructions.