IP Library Granted Patent US 9,858,277
Granted Patent B2
US 9,858,277 · App. 13/656,883 · Granted Jan 2, 2018

Playlist-based content assembly

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,858,277
App. No.
13/656,883
Granted
Jan 2, 2018
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 (82)

1. A podcast creation and publishing method comprising:

creating, from at least one media event log, an automation playlist of media events by executing an instruction in a computer system, wherein each of the media events has a first file format, and wherein the media event log provides a list of media events arranged according to a time during which each media event will play;

converting the media events to a second file format that is both uncompressed as well as different from the first file format of at least one of the media events, by executing an instruction on the computer system;

merging, in the second file format, the media events into a composite media event without playing said media events in real time, by executing an instruction on the computer system, wherein the merging includes using metadata to establish a transitional relationship between the media events; and

publishing the composite media event in a podcast including a third file format, by executing an instruction on the computer system, and

wherein the publishing of the podcast using a podcast automation interface, comprises:

defining a web syndication format;

defining one or more RSS (Really Simple Syndication) channels for the publishing of the podcast, including podcast title, description, and URL;

defining one or more RSS items of the composite media event;

providing media property tags for the third file format;

defining a podcast feed, wherein the podcast automation interface is used to create or update a local copy of one or more of: an RSS file or a web feed; and

distribution over a network.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

compressing the composite media event.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the first file format of each of the media events comprises a compressed file format;

the second file format is an uncompressed file format; and

the compressing comprises converting the composite media event back to the first file format.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second file format is a pulse code modulated (PCM) format.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the metadata comprises pre-determined metadata associated with individual media elements; and

further comprises obtaining the pre-determined metadata from a file.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein:

the metadata further comprises at least one transition determined contemporaneously with the merging.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the merging comprises generating the podcast in the third file format, using the podcast automation interface.

8. A podcast creation and publishing system comprising:

a processor;

memory operably associated with the processor;

a program of instructions configured to be stored in the memory and executed by the processor, the program of instructions comprising:

at least one instruction to create, from at least one media event log, an automation playlist of media events, wherein each of the media events has a first file format, and wherein the media event log provides a list of media events arranged according to a time during which each media event will play;

at least one instruction to convert the media events to a second file format that is both uncompressed as well as different from the first file format of at least one of the media events;

at least one instruction to merge, in the second file format, the media events into a composite media event, without playing said media events in real time, by using metadata to establish a transitional relationship between the media events; and

at least one instruction to publish the composite media event in a podcast including a third file format; and

wherein the at least one instruction to publish the composite media event in a podcast uses a podcast automation interface and comprises:

defining a web syndication format;

defining one or more RSS (Really Simple Syndication) channels for the podcast publication, including podcast title, description, and URL;

defining one or more RSS items of the composite media event;

providing media property tags for the third file format;

defining a podcast feed, wherein the podcast automation interface is used to create or update a local copy of one or more of: an RSS file or a web feed; and

distribution over a network.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:

at least one instruction to compress the composite media event.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein:

the first file format of each of the media events comprises a compressed file format;

the second file format is an uncompressed file format; and

the at least one instruction to compress comprises at least one instruction to convert the composite media event back to the first file format.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the second file format is a way file format.

12. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:

the at least one media event log including at least a first event log and a second event log and at least one instruction to obtain the first event log from a first source;

at least one instruction to obtain the second event log from a second source; and

at least one instruction to create the automation playlist of media events from the first event log and the second event log.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the first source comprises broadcast automation software; and

the second source comprises a music-mixing software application.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the program of instructions comprises at least one instruction to generate the podcast in the third file format using the podcast automation interface.

15. A podcast creation and publishing method comprising:

creating, from at least one media event log, a list of separate media events to be automatically combined into a podcast by executing an instruction in a computer system, wherein each of the separate media events has a first file format, and wherein the media event log provides a list of media events arranged according to a time during which each media event will play;

converting the separate media events to a second file format that is both uncompressed as well as different from the first file format of at least one of the separate media events, by executing an instruction on the computer system;

obtaining metadata specifying transition relationships between the separate media events;

automatically merging, in the second file format, the separate media events including the transitions specified by the metadata into a composite media event, wherein the transitions are applied without playing back the media events in real time, by executing an instruction on the computer system; and

publishing the composite media event in a podcast in a third file format, by executing an instruction on the computer system; and

wherein the publishing the composite media event in a podcast includes a podcast automation interface and comprises:

defining a web syndication format;

defining one or more RSS (Really Simple Syndication) channels for the publishing of the podcast, including podcast title, description, and URL;

defining one or more RSS items of the composite media event;

providing media property tags for the third file format;

defining a podcast feed, wherein the podcast automation interface is used to create or update a local copy of one or more of: an RSS file or a web feed; and

distribution over a network.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

compressing the podcast.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein:

the first file format of each of the separate media events comprises a compressed file format;

the second file format is an uncompressed file format; and

the compressing comprises converting the podcast back to the first file format of at least one of the separate media events.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second file format is a pulse code modulated (PCM) format.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

obtaining a first plurality of media events from a first source;

obtaining a second plurality of media events from a second source; and

selecting media events from the first plurality of media events and the second plurality of media events for inclusion in the list of separate media events.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein:

the first source comprises broadcast automation software; and

the second source comprises a music-mixing software application.

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 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: 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 Jan 8, 2013
From: JELLISON, DAVID C., JR.; COFFMAN, SHAWN; BOND, DUSTIN
To: CLEAR CHANNEL MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 029589/0670 →