Systems and methods for a multiport synchronous-asynchronous client for scheduling and delivering content for digital radio broadcast transmission

1. A processor-implemented method of scheduling and delivering content for digital radio broadcast transmission comprising:

a. receiving a request to render first media content in synchronization with second media content, wherein the first media content is directed along a first signal path through a digital radio broadcast transmitter and the second media content is directed along a second signal path through the digital radio broadcast transmitter, and wherein the request includes a requested render time of the second media content by a digital radio broadcast receiver;

b. receiving a request to render third media content asynchronously at the digital radio broadcast receiver;

c. receiving a plurality of content requests from an importer, each content request including a value corresponding to a time at which media content following the second signal path that is delivered responsive to the content request would be rendered by the digital radio broadcast receiver;

d. delivering the first media content to the importer responsive to at least one of the content requests when the value of the content request corresponds to the render time of the second media content, such that the first media content can be rendered synchronously with the second media content by the digital radio broadcast receiver; and

e. delivering the third media content to the importer responsive to at least one of the content requests such that the third media content can be rendered asynchronously by the digital radio broadcast receiver.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first media content and the second media content are delivered to the importer such that the digital radio broadcast receiver can render the first media content in synchronization with the second media content at the digital radio broadcast receiver without the digital radio broadcast receiver making determinations about relative timing for rendering the second media content and the first media content.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising delivering the first media content responsive to at least two content requests, such that the first media content can be rendered synchronously with the second media content at least two times.

4. The method of claim 3 comprising:

receiving a message identifying a start time of a synchronous event related to the first media content; and

delivering the first media content responsive to the second and subsequent content requests based on the start time of the synchronous event.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein delivering the third media content to the importer comprises repeatedly communicating the third media content to the importer such that the importer receives the third media content a predetermined number of times in a predetermined time period.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising delivering the first media content responsive to a predetermined number of content requests, such that the first media content can be rendered synchronously with the second media content a predetermined number of times, wherein the predetermined number is determined based on a duration of the second media content.

7. The method of claim 1 comprising delivering the first media content in at least two portions.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein delivering the first media content comprises:

retrieving the first media content from a file storage;

storing the first media content in a packetized format; and

associating the packetized first media content with a pending state;

transitioning the packetized first media content to an active state when the value of at least one of the content requests corresponds to the render time of the second media content; and

providing the packetized first media content in said active state to the importer responsive to at least one content request.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising processing the first and third media content for radio broadcast transmission by an exciter.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first signal path includes a multiport synchronous and asynchronous client, an importer, an exporter, and an exciter, and wherein the second signal path includes the importer, the exporter, and the exciter but bypasses the multiport synchronous and asynchronous client.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first media content is selected from the group consisting of album art, song information, artist information, and closed captioning information.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the first media content comprises product purchase information configured to associate the second media content with a product to be purchased, such that a user of the digital radio broadcast receiver can input instructions to purchase a product associated with the second media content.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the second media content is audio.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the third media content is selected from the group consisting of station logo, news, traffic, weather, a directory of files, and a website.

15. A digital radio broadcast transmitter system configured to schedule and deliver content for digital radio broadcast transmission comprising:

a. a processing system; and

b. a memory coupled to the processing system, wherein the processing system is configured to execute steps comprising:

i. receiving a request to render first media content in synchronization with second media content, wherein the first media content is directed along a first signal path through a digital radio broadcast transmitter and the second media content is directed along a second signal path through the digital radio broadcast transmitter, and wherein the request includes a requested render time of the second media content by a digital radio broadcast receiver;

ii. receiving a request to render third media content asynchronously at the digital radio broadcast receiver;

iii. receiving a plurality of content requests from an importer, each content request including a value corresponding to a time at which media content following the second signal path that is delivered responsive to the content request would be rendered by the digital radio broadcast receiver;

iv. delivering the first media content to the importer responsive to at least one of the content requests when the value of the content request corresponds to the render time of the second media content, such that the first media content can be rendered synchronously with the second media content by the digital radio broadcast receiver; and

v. delivering the third media content to the importer responsive to at least one of the content requests such that the third media content can be rendered asynchronously by the digital radio broadcast receiver.

16. The digital radio broadcast transmitter system of claim 15 wherein the first media content and the second media content are delivered to the importer such that the digital radio broadcast receiver can render the first media content in synchronization with the second media content at the digital radio broadcast receiver without the digital radio broadcast receiver making determinations about relative timing for rendering the second media content and the first media content.

17. The digital radio broadcast transmitter system of claim 15 wherein the processing system is configured to deliver the first media content responsive to at least two content requests, such that the first media content can be rendered synchronously with the second media content at least two times.

18. The digital radio broadcast transmitter system of claim 17 wherein the processing system is configured to execute steps comprising:

receiving a message identifying a start time of a synchronous event related to the first media content; and

delivering the first media content responsive to the second and subsequent content requests based on the start time of the synchronous event.

19. The digital radio broadcast transmitter system of claim 15 wherein delivering the third media content to the importer comprises repeatedly communicating the third media content to the importer such that the importer receives the third media content a predetermined number of times in a predetermined time period.

20. The digital radio broadcast transmitter system of claim 15 wherein the processing system is configured to deliver the first media content responsive to a predetermined number of content requests, such that the first media content can be rendered synchronously with the second media content a predetermined number of times, wherein the predetermined number is determined based on a duration of the second media content.

21. The digital radio broadcast transmitter system of claim 15 wherein the processing system is configured to deliver the first media content in at least two portions.

22. The digital radio broadcast transmitter system of claim 15 wherein delivering the first media content comprises:

retrieving the first media content from a file storage;

storing the first media content in a packetized format; and

associating the packetized first media content with a pending state;

transitioning the packetized first media content to an active state when the value of at least one of the content requests corresponds to the render time of the second media content; and

providing the packetized first media content in said active state to the importer responsive to at least one content request.

23. The digital radio broadcast transmitter system of claim 15 wherein the processing system is configured to process the first and third media content for radio broadcast transmission by an exciter.

24. The digital radio broadcast transmitter system of claim 15 wherein the first signal path includes a multiport synchronous and asynchronous client, an importer, an exporter, and an exciter, and wherein the second signal path includes the importer, the exporter, and the exciter but bypasses the multiport synchronous and asynchronous client.

25. The digital radio broadcast transmitter system of claim 15 wherein the first media content is selected from the group consisting of album art, song information, artist information, and closed captioning information.

26. The digital radio broadcast transmitter system of claim 15 wherein the first media content comprises product purchase information configured to associate the second media content with a product to be purchased, such that a user of the digital radio broadcast receiver can input instructions to purchase a product associated with the second media content.

27. The digital radio broadcast transmitter system of claim 15 wherein the second media content is audio.

28. The digital radio broadcast transmitter system of claim 15 wherein the third media content is selected from the group consisting of station logo, news, traffic, weather, a directory of files, and a website.

29. A non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium having instructions thereon adapted to cause a processing system to execute steps comprising:

a. receiving a request to render first media content in synchronization with second media content, wherein the first media content is directed along a first signal path through a digital radio broadcast transmitter and the second media content is directed along a second signal path through the digital radio broadcast transmitter, and wherein the request includes a requested render time of the second media content by a digital radio broadcast receiver;

b. receiving a request to render third media content asynchronously at the digital radio broadcast receiver;

c. receiving a plurality of content requests from an importer, each content request including a value corresponding to a time at which media content following the second signal path that is delivered responsive to the content request would be rendered by the digital radio broadcast receiver;

d. delivering the first media content to the importer responsive to at least one of the content requests when the value of the content request corresponds to the render time of the second media content, such that the first media content can be rendered synchronously with the second media content by the digital radio broadcast receiver; and

e. delivering the third media content to the importer responsive to at least one of the content requests such that the third media content can be rendered asynchronously by the digital radio broadcast receiver.

30. The processor-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the first media content is selected from the group consisting of album art, song information, artist information, and closed captioning information.

31. The processor-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the first media content comprises product purchase information configured to associate the second media content with a product to be purchased, such that a user of the digital radio broadcast receiver can input instructions to purchase a product associated with the second media content.

32. The processor-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the second media content is audio.

33. The processor-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the third media content is selected from the group consisting of station logo, news, traffic, weather, a directory of files, and a website.

34. The processor-readable medium of claim 29 comprising instructions adapted to cause the processing system to deliver the first media content and the second media content to the importer such that the digital radio broadcast receiver can render the first media content in synchronization with the second media content at the digital radio broadcast receiver without the digital radio broadcast receiver making determinations about relative timing for rendering the second media content and the first media content.

35. The processor-readable medium of claim 29 further comprising instructions adapted to cause the processing system to deliver the first media content responsive to at least two content requests, such that the first media content can be rendered synchronously with the second media content at least two times.

36. The processor-readable medium of claim 35 comprising instructions adapted to cause the processing system to execute steps comprising:

receiving a message identifying a start time of a synchronous event related to the first media content; and

delivering the first media content responsive to the second and subsequent content requests based on the start time of the synchronous event.

37. The processor-readable medium of claim 29 wherein delivering the third media content to the importer comprises repeatedly communicating the third media content to the importer such that the importer receives the third media content a predetermined number of times in a predetermined time period.

38. The processor-readable medium of claim 29 further comprising instructions adapted to cause the processing system deliver the first media content responsive to a predetermined number of content requests, such that the first media content can be rendered synchronously with the second media content a predetermined number of times, wherein the predetermined number is determined based on a duration of the second media content.

39. The processor-readable medium of claim 29 comprising instructions for delivering the first media content in at least two portions.

40. The processor-readable medium of claim 29 wherein delivering the first media content comprises:

retrieving the first media content from a file storage;

storing the first media content in a packetized format; and

associating the packetized first media content with a pending state;

transitioning the packetized first media content to an active state when the value of at least one of the content requests corresponds to the render time of the second media content; and providing the packetized first media content in said active state to the importer responsive to at least one content request.

41. The processor-readable medium of claim 29 further comprising instructions for processing the first and third media content for radio broadcast transmission by an exciter.

42. The processor-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the first signal path includes a multiport synchronous and asynchronous client, an importer, an exporter, and an exciter, and wherein the second signal path includes the importer, the exporter, and the exciter but bypasses the multiport synchronous and asynchronous client.