IP Library Granted Patent US 8,107,876
Granted Patent B2
US 8,107,876 · App. 12/968,767 · Granted Jan 31, 2012

Method and system for selectively broadcasting media

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,107,876
App. No.
12/968,767
Granted
Jan 31, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and apparatus for broadcasting media events, the method including the steps of providing a sequence of media events in a first server, the sequence of media events including at least one media event of a first type and a plurality of media events of a second type; playing the sequence from the first server to a content distribution network (CDN) server prior to a predetermined broadcast time; and storing at the CDN server at least a part of the sequence received from the first server. The method may further include the steps of inserting, at the first server, markers indicating where targeted media events are to be played in the sequence of media events and inserting, at the CDN server, targeted media events supplied by a third server in response to a request to provide media events targeted to information associated with at least one user.

Claims (39)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a content distribution network (CDN) server, a sequence of media events, said sequence of media events including insertion markers indicating locations within the sequence of media events where targeted media events are to be inserted by the CDN server;

receiving, at the CDN server, information associated with a user;

sending the information associated with the user to a second server;

obtaining from the second server targeted media events based on the information associated with the user;

stretching at least a part of the sequence of media events; and

inserting the targeted media events as indicated by the insertion markers.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the targeted media events to be inserted are targeted spots.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sequence further includes markers indicating where media events are to be skipped by the CDN server, the method further comprising:

skipping media events as indicated by the markers.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising obtaining from the second server targeted media events based on input provided by the media events, wherein the media events are smart-aware.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of re-arranging the sequence of media events.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CDN server is located in a receiver.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the markers are substitution markers indicating where non-targeted spots are to be substituted by the CDN server, the method further comprising:

substituting non-targeted spots with targeted spots as indicated by the substitution markers.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing, at the CDN server, at least a part of the sequence of media events; and

broadcasting at least a part of the stored sequence of media events from the CDN server at a predetermined broadcast time while still receiving at least a part of the sequence of media events.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CDN server is part of an internet broadcast network.

10. A system comprising:

a content distribution network (CDN) server, said CDN server configured to:

receive from a first server a sequence of media events including insertion markets within the sequence of media events that indicate where targeted media events are to be inserted;

receive information associated with a user;

send the information associated with the user to a second server;

obtain from the second server targeted media events based on the information associated with the user;

stretch at least a part of the sequence of media events;

broadcast the sequence of media events; and

while broadcasting, insert the targeted media events into the sequence of media events as indicated by the insertion markers.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the CDN server is further configured to obtain from the second server targeted spots and insert the targeted spots into the sequence of media events as indicated by the insertion markers.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the CDN server is further configured to skip media events as indicated by markers included in the sequence of media events that indicate where media events are to be skipped by the CDN server.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the CDN server is further configured to obtain from the second server targeted media events based on input provided by media events, wherein the media events are smart-aware.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the CDN server is further configured to re-arrange the sequence of media events prior to broadcasting.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the CDN server is further configured to send at least a portion of the information associated with a user to an advertisement server and receive targeted spots from the advertisement server.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the CDN server is further configured to store at least a part of the sequence of media events and broadcast at least a part of the stored sequence of media events at a predetermined broadcast time while still receiving at least a part of the sequence of media events.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the markers are substitution markers indicating where non-targeted spots are to be substituted by the CDN server, the method further comprising:

substituting non-targeted spots with targeted spots as indicated by the substitution markers.

18. The system of claim 10 , wherein the CDN server is further configured to be virtualized.

19. The system of claim 10 , wherein the CDN server is located in a receiver.

20. The system of claim 10 , wherein the CDN server is part of an internet broadcast network.

Assignments (20)
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 AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049067/0800 →
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 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 →