News production system with program schedule modification feature

• US 9,961,385 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2015
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tribune Broadcasting Company Incorporated (Nexstar Media Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tribune Broadcasting Company Incorporated (Nexstar Media Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cox, Gary Wilson
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheleheda, James R
• Application Number:
  US14/809,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20170034555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/236 Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream multiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• 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 21/44226 on social networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay

Abstract

In one aspect, an example method involves: accessing, by a computing device, a program schedule of a news program; accessing, by the computing device, data associated with an election; using, by the computing device, the accessed data to make a determination that a status of the election satisfies each condition in a condition set; responsive to making the determination that the status of the election satisfies each condition in the condition set, modifying, by the computing device, the program schedule at least by inserting into the program schedule a record that corresponds to the election; and displaying, by the computing device, the modified program schedule.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

accessing, by a computing device, a program schedule of a news program, wherein the program schedule comprises a plurality of records, each record of the plurality of records corresponding to a respective story of the news program;

accessing, by the computing device, data associated with an election;

using, by the computing device, the accessed data to make a determination that a status of the election satisfies each condition in a condition set;

responsive to making the determination that the status of the election satisfies each condition in the condition set, modifying, by the computing device, the program schedule at least by adding to the plurality of records of the program schedule an additional record that corresponds to an additional story of the news program, wherein the additional story of the news program includes content associated with the election;

using, by the computing device, the condition set as a basis to select a digital video effect (DVE) template from among multiple DVE templates;

using, by the computing device, the selected template to facilitate creation of a DVE, wherein the created DVE is configured such that, responsive to a DVE system executing the created DVE, the DVE system generates a video stream representing a video segment that includes content related to the election; and

adding, by the computing device, to the additional record, an instruction to execute the created DVE.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition set comprises at least one condition from the group consisting of:

a first condition that at least a threshold amount of votes cast in connection with the election have been tabulated;

a second condition that a difference between an amount of votes tabulated for a first candidate of the election and an amount of votes tabulated for a second candidate of the election is at most a threshold amount;

a third condition that a difference between an amount of votes tabulated for a first candidate of the election and an amount of votes tabulated for a second candidate of the election is at least a threshold amount;

a fourth condition that a first projected outcome of the election and a second projected outcome of the election differ by at least a threshold extent, wherein the first projected outcome of the election is determined before the second projected outcome of the election is determined;

a fifth condition that voter-turnout associated with the election is at least a threshold amount;

a sixth condition that voter turnout associated with the election is at most a threshold amount; and

a seventh condition that the election is a subject of a threshold extent of social-media activity.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the computing device, an insertion position of the program schedule, wherein adding to the plurality of records of the program schedule the additional record that corresponds to the additional story of the news program comprises inserting into the program schedule, at the determined insertion position, the additional record that corresponds to the additional story of the news program.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the insertion position of the program schedule comprises using the condition set as a basis to determine the insertion position of the program schedule.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based on the added instruction, executing, by the computing device, the DVE, thereby causing the DVE system to generate the video stream.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

transmitting, by the computing device, the generated video stream to an end-user device for presentation of the represented video segment to an end-user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adding, by the computing device, to the additional record, a link to the selected DVE template.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a computing device to perform a set of acts comprising:

accessing a program schedule of a news program, wherein the program schedule comprises a plurality of records, each record of the plurality of records corresponding to a respective story of the news program;

accessing data associated with an election;

using the accessed data to make a determination that a status of the election satisfies each condition in a condition set;

responsive to making the determination that the status of the election satisfies each condition in the condition set, modifying the program schedule at least by adding to the plurality of records of the program schedule an additional record that corresponds to an additional story of the news program, wherein the additional story of the news program includes content associated with the election;

using the condition set as a basis to select a DVE template from among multiple DVE templates;

using the selected template to facilitate creation of a DVE, wherein the created DVE is configured such that, responsive to a DVE system executing the created DVE, the DVE system generates a video stream representing a video segment that includes content related to the election; and

adding, to the additional record, an instruction to execute the created DVE.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the condition set comprises at least one condition from the group consisting of:

a first condition that at least a threshold amount of votes cast in connection with the election have been tabulated;

a second condition that a difference between an amount of votes tabulated for a first candidate of the election and an amount of votes tabulated for a second candidate of the election is at most a threshold amount;

a third condition that a difference between an amount of votes tabulated for a first candidate of the election and an amount of votes tabulated for a second candidate of the election is at least a threshold amount;

a fourth condition that a first projected outcome of the election and a second projected outcome of the election differ by at least a threshold extent, wherein the first projected outcome of the election is determined before the second projected outcome of the election is determined;

a fifth condition that voter-turnout associated with the election is at least a threshold amount;

a sixth condition that voter turnout associated with the election is at most a threshold amount; and

a seventh condition that the election is a subject of a threshold extent of social-media activity.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, the set of acts further comprising:

determining an insertion position of the program schedule, wherein adding to the plurality of records of the program schedule the additional record that corresponds to the additional story of the news program comprises inserting into the program schedule, at the determined insertion position, the additional record that corresponds to the additional story of the news program.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein determining the insertion position of the program schedule comprises using the condition set as a basis to determine the insertion position of the program schedule.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, the set of acts further comprising:

based on the added instruction, executing the DVE, thereby causing the DVE system to generate the video stream.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, the set of acts further comprising:

transmitting the generated video stream to an end-user device for presentation of the represented video segment to an end-user.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, the set of acts further comprising:

adding to the additional record, a link to the selected DVE template.

15. A computing device comprising:

a display device;

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to perform a set of acts comprising;

accessing a program schedule of a news program, wherein the program schedule comprises a plurality of records, each record of the plurality of records corresponding to a respective story of the news program;

accessing data associated with an election;

using the accessed data to make a determination that a status of the election satisfies each condition in a condition set;

responsive to making the determination that the status of the election satisfies each condition in the condition set, modifying the program schedule at least by adding to the plurality of records of the program schedule an additional record that corresponds to an additional story of the news program, wherein the additional story of the news program includes content associated with the election;

using the condition set as a basis to select a DVE template from among multiple DVE templates;

using the selected template to facilitate creation of a DVE, wherein the created DVE is configured such that, responsive to a DVE system executing the created DVE, the DVE system generates a video stream representing a video segment that includes content related to the election; and

adding, to the additional record, an instruction to execute the created DVE.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the condition set comprises at least one condition from the group consisting of:

a first condition that at least a threshold amount of votes cast in connection with the election have been tabulated;

a second condition that a difference between an amount of votes tabulated for a first candidate of the election and an amount of votes tabulated for a second candidate of the election is at most a threshold amount;

a third condition that a difference between an amount of votes tabulated for a first candidate of the election and an amount of votes tabulated for a second candidate of the election is at least a threshold amount;

a fourth condition that a first projected outcome of the election and a second projected outcome of the election differ by at least a threshold extent, wherein the first projected outcome of the election is determined before the second projected outcome of the election is determined;

a fifth condition that voter-turnout associated with the election is at least a threshold amount;

a sixth condition that voter turnout associated with the election is at most a threshold amount; and

a seventh condition that the election is a subject of a threshold extent of social-media activity.

17. The computing device of claim 15, the set of acts further comprising:

determining an insertion position of the program schedule, wherein adding to the plurality of records of the program schedule the additional record that corresponds to the additional story of the news program comprises inserting into the program schedule, at the determined insertion position, the additional record that corresponds to the additional story of the news program.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein determining the insertion position of the program schedule comprises using the condition set as a basis to determine the insertion position of the program schedule.

19. The computing device of claim 15, the set of acts further comprising:

adding to the additional record, a link to the selected DVE template.

20. The computing device of claim 15, the set of acts further comprising:

based on the added instruction, executing the DVE, thereby causing the DVE system to generate the video stream; and

transmitting the generated video stream to an end-user device for presentation of the represented video segment to an end-user.