IP Library Granted Patent US 8,321,041
Granted Patent B2
US 8,321,041 · App. 11/415,868 · Granted Nov 27, 2012

Playlist-based content assembly

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,321,041
App. No.
11/415,868
Granted
Nov 27, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of and apparatus for content assembly is provided by which an automation playlist of media events is created, a relationship is defined between the media events, the media events are merged into a composite media event and published.

Claims (45)

1. A method comprising:

generating an event log to be used to generate a single playable composite media event file, the event log including titles of at least two media events, each of the titles associated with broadcaster-defined metadata including media event relationship rules;

scheduling the generation and publication of the single playable composite media event file, wherein said scheduling includes scheduling a scheduled date and time at which the single playable composite media event file is to be generated, and a length of the single playable composite media event file;

upon receipt of notification that the scheduled date and time has been reached, and without user intervention or instruction, generating the single playable composite media event file using the event log and the broadcaster-defined metadata associated with the titles in the event log by:

selecting the at least two media events on the event log from a database,

appending one of the two media events to another of the two media events to generate appended media events, and

modifying the appended media events in accordance with the broadcaster-defined metadata associated with the titles in the event log;

without user intervention or instruction, preparing the single playable composite media event file to be transmitted over a network; and

without user intervention or instruction, publishing the single playable composite media event file.

2. An apparatus for content assembly, said apparatus comprising:

a database containing a plurality of media events;

a memory including computer readable instructions for execution by a processor;

a processor in communication with said database, wherein the processor executes the computer readable instructions to:

generate an event log to be used to generate a single playable composite media event file,

the event log including titles of at least two media events, each of the titles associated with broadcaster-defined metadata including media event relationship rules;

schedule the generation and publication of the single playable composite media event file, wherein said scheduling includes determining a scheduled date and time at which the single playable composite media event file is to be generated, and a length of the single playable composite media event file;

upon receipt of notification that the scheduled date and time has been reached, and without user intervention or instruction, generate the single playable composite media event file using the event log and the broadcaster-defined metadata associated with the titles in the event log by:

select the at least two media events on the event log from at least one database, appending one of the two media events to another of the two media events to generate appended media events, and

modifying the appended media events in accordance with the broadcaster-defined metadata associated with the titles in the event log;

without user intervention or instruction, preparing the single playable composite media event file to be transmitted over a network; and

without user intervention or instruction, publish the single playable composite media event file.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising converting said at least two media events to a common file format.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said publishing publishes said playable composite media event as a podcast.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising decompressing said at least two media events.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising compressing said single playable composite media event file.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising creating additional metadata associated with the single playable composite media event file.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processor further executes computer readable instructions to convert the at least two media events to a common file format.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processor further executes computer readable instructions to publish the single playable composite media event file as a podcast.

10. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processor further executes computer readable instructions to decompress said at least two media events.

11. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processor further executes computer readable instructions to compress said single playable composite media event file.

12. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processor further executes

computer readable instructions to create additional metadata associated with the single playable composite media event file.

13. A method for generating a podcast, the method comprising:

generating an event log to be used to generate a podcast, the event log including titles of at least two audio files, each of the titles associated with broadcaster-defined metadata, the broadcaster-defined metadata including audio file relationship rules;

scheduling the generation and publication of the podcast wherein said scheduling includes scheduling a scheduled date and time at which the podcast is to be generated, and a length of the podcast;

upon receipt of notification that the scheduled date and time has been reached, and without user intervention or instruction, generating the podcast using the event log and the broadcaster-defined metadata and audio file relationship rules associated with the titles in the event log by:

selecting the at least two audio files on the event log from a database,

appending one of the at least two audio files to another of the at least two audio files to generate appended audio files, and

modifying the appended audio files in accordance with the broadcaster-defined metadata associated with the titles in the event log;

without user intervention or instruction, preparing the podcast to be transmitted over a network; and

without user intervention or instruction, publishing the podcast.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising converting said at least two audio files to a common file format.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising decompressing said at least two audio files.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising compressing said podcast.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising creating additional metadata associated with the podcast.

Assignments (22)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 5, 2026
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT TO CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: IHEART COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 075557/0138 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS (REEL/FRAME 050017/0882) Recorded Jan 1, 2025
From: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: IHEARTCOMMUNICATIONS, INC.; IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 069795/0626 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS (REEL/FRAME 049079/0814) Recorded Dec 31, 2024
From: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (FORMERLY KNOWN AS U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION)
To: IHEARTCOMMUNICATIONS, INC.; IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 069795/0488 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS (REEL/FRAME 049067/0800) Recorded Dec 31, 2024
From: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (FORMERLY KNOWN AS U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION)
To: IHEARTCOMMUNICATIONS, INC.; IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 069795/0423 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 29, 2024
From: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 069795/0912 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 28, 2024
From: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 069793/0758 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 28, 2024
From: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 069794/0248 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 27, 2024
From: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 069792/0335 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 23, 2024
From: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 069762/0453 →
ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Feb 5, 2020
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052144/0833 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 23, 2019
From: IHEART COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U. S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 051143/0579 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 9, 2019
From: IHEART COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 050017/0882 →
RELEASE OF THE SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 034008/0027 Recorded May 10, 2019
From: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS
To: AMFM RADIO LICENSES, LLC; CAPSTAR RADIO OPERATING COMPANY; CAPSTAR TX, LLC; CITICASTERS CO.; CITICASTERS LICENSES, INC.; CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.; IHEARMEDIA + ENTERTAINMENT, INC.; AMFM TEXAS BROADCASTING, LP; CLEAR CHANNEL MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.; CLEAR CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; CLEAR CHANNEL INVESTMENTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 049149/0773 →
RELEASE OF THE SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 035109/0168 Recorded May 10, 2019
From: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS
To: AMFM RADIO LICENSES, LLC; CAPSTAR RADIO OPERATING COMPANY; CAPSTAR TX, LLC; CITICASTERS CO.; CITICASTERS LICENSES, INC.; CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.; IHEARMEDIA + ENTERTAINMENT, INC.; AMFM TEXAS BROADCASTING, LP; IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.; CLEAR CHANNEL MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.; CLEAR CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 049149/0714 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 2, 2019
From: IHEARTCOMMUNICATIONS, INC.; IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 049079/0814 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 2, 2019
From: IHEARTCOMMUNICATIONS, INC.; IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049067/0606 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 2, 2019
From: IHEARTCOMMUNICATIONS, INC.; IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049067/0800 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 27, 2015
From: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.; CLEAR CHANNEL MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.; CLEAR CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 035109/0168 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 21, 2014
From: CLEAR CHANNEL MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 034026/0037 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 15, 2014
From: CLEAR CHANNEL MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.; CLEAR CHANNEL INVESTMENTS, INC.; CLEAR CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 034008/0027 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 20, 2010
From: CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING, INC.
To: CLEAR CHANNEL MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 024257/0757 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 1, 2006
From: JELLISON, JR., DAVID C.; COFFMAN, SHAWN; BOND, DUSTIN
To: CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING, INC.
Reel/Frame 018045/0634 →