IP Library Granted Patent US 8,751,497
Granted Patent B2
US 8,751,497 · App. 13/268,267 · Granted Jun 10, 2014

Multi-shot scheduling system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,751,497
App. No.
13/268,267
Granted
Jun 10, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A Multi-Shot Scheduling System chooses from multiple candidate playlists of positions to select a broadcast playlist. Candidate playlists are generated based upon scoring and selecting content items for the positions through the use of index values. Various embodiments of the Multi-Shot Scheduling System can select broadcast playlists for multiple groups of content and can provide different methods of controlling scheduling performance by restricting the range of candidate playlists from which the best playlist can be selected.

Claims (45)

1. A method comprising:

using a processing circuitry to generate a plurality of candidate playlists by selecting a content item for assignment to each position of each candidate play list, based on both:

a position index value assigned to each position in each candidate play list, and

a score associated with assignment of each content item to each position of each candidate playlist; and

using the processing circuitry to select one of the plurality of candidate playlists by:

determining, for each of the plurality of candidate play lists, an aggregate score of the content items assigned to each position of the candidate play list, and

selecting the candidate play list based on the aggregate score.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

generating a first candidate playlist;

generating a second candidate playlist; and

prior to generation of a next candidate playlist, discarding the second candidate play list in response to an aggregate score of the second candidate play list being less than an aggregate score of the first candidate playlist.

3. The method of claim 1 , the selecting a content item for assignment to each position of each candidate playlist comprising:

assembling a list of the content items ranked by the score associated with assignment of each content item to the position of the candidate play list, and

selecting a content item having a content item index value matching the position index value assigned to the position.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein each position of each candidate play list is associated with a group of content items.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the group of content items comprises a particular content type.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the score associated with assignment of each content item to each position of each schedule is determined based on a demand-based goal-driven scheduling algorithm.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the each position index value is less than a maximum value, the maximum value determined based on processing time.

8. A device comprising:

a processing circuitry;

a memory operably associated with the processing circuitry, the processing circuitry, and memory operable to:

generate a plurality of candidate playlists by selecting a content item for assignment to each position of each candidate play list, based on both:

a position index value assigned to each position in each candidate play list, and

a score associated with assignment of each content item to each position of each schedule; and

select one of the plurality of candidate playlists by:

determining, for each of the plurality of candidate play lists, an aggregate score of the content items assigned to each position of the candidate playlist, and

selecting the candidate play list based on the aggregate score.

9. The device of claim 8 , the processing circuitry, and memory operable to:

generate a first candidate play list;

generate a second candidate play list; and

prior to generation of a next candidate playlist, discard the second candidate play list in response to an aggregate score of the second candidate playlist being less than an aggregate score of the first candidate playlist.

10. The device of claim 8 , the processing circuitry, and memory operable to select a content item for assignment to each position of each candidate play list by:

assembling a list of the content items ranked by the score associated with assignment of each content item to the position of the candidate play list, and

selecting a content item having a content item index value matching the position index value assigned to the position.

11. The device of claim 8 , wherein each position of each candidate playlist is associated with a group of content items.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the group of content items comprises a particular content type.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the score associated with assignment of each content item to each position of each schedule is determined based on a demand-based goal-driven scheduling algorithm.

14. The device of claim 8 , wherein the each position index value is less than a maximum value, the maximum value determined based on processing time.

15. A method comprising:

using a processing circuitry, generating a multi-shot sequence of at least one position index value to assign to a candidate play list, wherein each position index value is assigned to a position of the candidate playlist and each position is scheduled with a content item based at least in part on the position index value assigned to each position.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the content item scheduled in the position has a content item index value matching the position index value assigned to the position.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the position index values are restricted to a predetermined range of values.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein a maximum number of position index values exceeding the predetermined range of values are permitted.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the position index values exceeding a predetermined value are assigned to a restricted position of each candidate play list.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein a sum of all position index values in the multi-shot sequence is less than a maximum value.

Assignments (21)
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 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 →
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 →
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: 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: 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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 10, 2011
From: ATTWELL, NIGEL; BEAN, CHRIS
To: CLEAR CHANNEL MANGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 027035/0880 →