Social broadcasting platform

• US 8,490,133 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jelli LLc
• Original Assignee: Jelli Inc. (iHeartMedia, Inc.)
• Inventors: Parekh, Jateen P., Dougherty, Michael S., Strain, Scott, Yawitz, Mitchell A., Caplener, Sarah
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): STRONCZER, RYAN S
• Application Number:
  US12/317,489
• Time in Patent Office: 1,667 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 725/44
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23109 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. EPG data repository details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2353 specifically adapted to content descriptors, e.g. coding, compressing or processing of metadata
• 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 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

A method of social broadcasting is disclosed. A metadata is generated indicating items of content expected to be included in a broadcast and for each item of content a manner in which the item of content is to be included in the broadcast. The metadata is provided and at least a subset of said items of content to a broadcast platform in one or more network communications sent to the broadcast platform via a network interface. A method of social broadcasting is disclosed. A metadata is received via a server interface indicating items of content expected to be included in a broadcast and for each item of content a manner in which the item of content is to be included in the broadcast. At least a subset of said items of content is stored in a media cache. Said items of content are used to assemble in the manner indicated by said metadata, and to provide as output for broadcast to the station interface, a broadcast stream, including by responding dynamically to subsequently received metadata indicating a change in one or both of (1) said items of content expected to be included in a broadcast and (2) the manner in which one or more of said items of content is or are to be included in the broadcast.

Claims

1. A social broadcasting server, comprising:

a first network interface;

a second network interface configured to;

receive a user network communications sent by a user of a broadcast comprising an indication that an item of content has been uploaded and a credential for the item of content; and

receive a second user network communications sent by a generating user of the broadcast comprising an indication that a user-generated item of content has been uploaded; and

a processor coupled to the first network interface, coupled to the second network interface, and configured to;

recognize the item of content within a commercial database;

check the item of content against a set of business rules based at least in part on the credential;

generate and provide to a broadcast platform, via one or more network communications sent via the first network interface;

a metadata indicating a manner in which the item of content is to be included in the broadcast; and

the item of content;

recognize the user-generated item of content is not within a commercial database;

analyze the user-generated item of content for airability; and

generate and provide to the broadcast platform, via one or more network communications sent via the first network interface;

a second metadata indicating a manner in which the user-generated item of content is to be included in the broadcast; and

the user-generated item of content.

2. A social broadcasting server as recited in claim 1, wherein the broadcast includes one or more of:

a radio broadcast, a terrestrial radio broadcast, a satellite radio broadcast, a cable radio broadcast, and a digital radio broadcast.

3. A social broadcasting server as recited in claim 1, wherein the items of content include items of audio content.

4. A social broadcasting server as recited in claim 1, wherein for each of at least a subset of the items of content, the item of content is provided at a time prior to an anticipated time at which it is expected to be included in the broadcast.

5. A social broadcasting server as recited in claim 1, wherein the metadata and said items of content are generated based at least in part on data associated with the user network communications.

6. A social broadcasting server as recited in claim 1, wherein the metadata is updated over time as users participate via the user network interface and said items of content are one or more of:

promoted, demoted, added and removed.

7. A social broadcasting server as recited in claim 1, wherein the metadata is updated by dynamic events as users participate via the user network interface and use one or more of:

bombs, rockets and viruses.

8. A social broadcasting server as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive via the network interface user network communications sent by members of a community of users of the broadcast.

9. A social broadcasting server as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to generate and provide to the broadcast platform, via one or more network communications sent via the broadcast platform network interface a second subset of said items of content provided directly by providing a link or an identifier.

10. A social broadcasting server as recited in claim 1, further comprising a text to media server coupled to the media application and configured to generate content from text.

11. A social broadcasting server as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to generate and provide to a broadcast platform, via one or more network communications sent via the network interface a program stream, wherein the program stream comprises the metadata and the subset of said items of content.

12. A social broadcasting server as recited in claim 11, wherein the program stream comprises a dynamic playlist in an XML format that is parsed by a broadcast interface of the broadcast platform.

13. A social broadcasting server as recited in claim 1, further comprising a rules engine coupled with the broadcast platform network interface and the processor, and configured to determine rules for assembly.

14. A social broadcasting server as recited in claim 13, wherein the rules of assembly include rules for inserting tracks into a program stream based on user activity.

15. A social broadcasting server as recited in claim 13, wherein the rules of assembly include rules to insert clips and transitions based on said rules for assembly including at least one or more of:

audio design principles, regulations from regulators and station policies.

16. A social broadcasting server as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to generate subsequently transmitted metadata indicating a change in one or both of

(1) said items of content expected to be included in a broadcast and

(2) the manner in which one or more of said items of content is or are to be included in the broadcast.

17. A method of social broadcasting, comprising:

receiving user network communications sent by a user of a broadcast comprising an indication that an item of content has been uploaded and a credential for the item of content;

recognizing the item of content within a commercial database;

checking the item of content against a set of business1 rules based at least in part on the credential;

generating a metadata indicating a manner in which the item of content is to be included in the broadcast;

providing the metadata and the item of content to a broadcast platform in one or more network communications sent to the broadcast platform via a network interface;

receiving a second user network communications sent by a generating user of the broadcast comprising an indication that a user-generated item of content has been uploaded;

recognizing the user-generated item of content is not within a commercial database;

analyzing the user-generated item of content for airability;

generating a second metadata indicating a manner in which the user-generated item of content is to be included in the broadcast; and

providing the second metadata and the user-generated item of content to the broadcast platform.

18. A computer program product for social broadcasting, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable storage device and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving user network communications sent by a user of a broadcast comprising an indication that an item of content has been uploaded and a credential for the item of content;

recognizing the item of content within a commercial database;

checking the item of content against a set of business rules based at least in part on the credential;

generating a metadata indicating a manner in which the item of content is to be included in the broadcast;

providing the metadata and the item of content to a broadcast platform;

receiving a second user network communications sent by a generating user of the broadcast comprising an indication that a user-generated item of content has been uploaded;

recognizing the user-generated item of content is not within a commercial database;

analyzing the user-generated item of content for airability; and

generating a second metadata indicating a manner in which the user-generated item of content is to be included in the broadcast; and

providing the second metadata and the user-generated item of content to the broadcast platform.