Broadcast area identification and content distribution

• US 8,910,196 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2012
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Syncbak, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Syncbak, Inc.
• Inventors: Perry, Jack F. II, Roeder, Michael J., Duhn, Brian L., Carlile, David L., Brunken, Jason A., Turley, Steven J., Youngblut, Matthew J., Keiser, Grant, Maher, Steven C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goodarzi, Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIERORAZIO, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US13/361,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20130198787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 725/86, 725/25, 725/62, 725/120
• US Class Current: 725/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2585 Generation of a revocation list, e.g. of client devices involved in piracy acts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17345 Control of the passage of the selected programme

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for broadcast area identification and content distribution. In one embodiment, a broadcast area associated with an electronic device can be identified. Then, content for the broadcast area can be distributed to the electronic device in accordance with distribution parameters.

Claims

1. A method for distributing content, the method comprising:

after a broadcast area associated with an electronic device is periodically identified based at least in part on the electronic device'"'"'s location, receiving, via one or more processors, a request for content associated with the broadcast area, (a) the broadcast area defining a geographic region in which each of a plurality of broadcasters has the right to and does provide respective over-the-air broadcasts, (b) the request for content being generated by the electronic device, and (c) the requested content corresponding to at least one of the over-the-air broadcasts for the broadcast area;

determining, via the one or more processors, whether the request for content is in compliance with one or more distribution parameters, the one or more distribution parameters associated with the requested content corresponding to at least one of the one or more over-the-air broadcasts for the broadcast area; and

after determining that the request for content is in compliance with the one or more distribution parameters, causing distribution of, via the one or more processors, the content to the electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein causing distribution of the content to the electronic device comprises transmitting, via the one or more processors, the content to the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein causing distribution of the content to the electronic device comprises transmitting, via the one or more processors, a notification to a content server to transmit the content to the electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting program information for the broadcast area to the electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising registering the electronic device for broadcast area identification.

6. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

after a broadcast area associated with an electronic device is periodically identified based at least in part on the electronic device'"'"'s location, receive a request for content associated with the broadcast area, (a) the broadcast area defining a geographic region in which each of a plurality of broadcasters has the right to provide respective over-the-air broadcasts, (b) the request for content being generated by the electronic device, and (c) the requested content corresponding to at least one of the over-the-air broadcasts for the broadcast area;

determine whether the request for content is in compliance with one or more distribution parameters, the one or more distribution parameters associated with the requested content corresponding to at least one of the one or more over-the-air broadcasts for the broadcast area; and

after determining that the request for content is in compliance with the one or more distribution parameters, cause distribution of the content to the electronic device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein causing distribution of the content to the electronic device comprises transmitting the content to the electronic device.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein causing distribution of the content to the electronic device comprises transmitting a notification to a content server to transmit the content to the electronic device.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to transmit program information for the broadcast area to the electronic device.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to register the electronic device for broadcast area identification.

11. A computer program product for distributing content, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured to, after a broadcast area associated with an electronic device is periodically identified based at least in part on the electronic device'"'"'s location, receive a request for content associated with the broadcast area, (a) the broadcast area defining a geographic region in which each of a plurality of broadcasters has the right to provide respective over-the-air broadcasts, (b) the request for content being generated by the electronic device, and (c) the requested content corresponding to at least one of the over-the-air broadcasts for the broadcast area;

an executable portion configured to determine whether the request for content is in compliance with one or more distribution parameters, the one or more distribution parameters associated with the requested content corresponding to at least one of the one or more over-the-air broadcasts for the broadcast area; and

an executable portion configured to, after determining that the request for content is in compliance with the one or more distribution parameters, cause distribution of the content to the electronic device.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein causing distribution of the content to the electronic device comprises transmitting the content to the electronic device.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein causing distribution of the content to the electronic device comprises transmitting a notification to a content server to transmit the content to the electronic device.

14. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising an executable portion configured to transmit program information for the broadcast area to the electronic device.

15. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising an executable portion configured to register the electronic device for broadcast area identification.