IP Library Granted Patent US 9,736,504
Granted Patent B1
US 9,736,504 · App. 15/172,824 · Granted Aug 15, 2017

Systems and methods for determining a time period remaining until a live production system changes states

Inventor: Hank J. Hundemer (Bellevue, KY)
Assignee: Tribune Broadcasting Company, LLC
H04N21/23424H04N21/2187H04N21/237H04N21/2407H04N21/26241H04N21/812
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,736,504
App. No.
15/172,824
Granted
Aug 15, 2017
Kind
B1
Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for determining a time period remaining until a live production system changes states. An example method involves accessing a stored television broadcasting traffic log; making a first determination that a log entry A in the traffic log does not correspond to a live production source; making a second determination that a log entry B in the traffic log is the next log entry after the log entry A to correspond to a live production source; making a third determination that the log entry B includes a start time B; responsive to making the first, second, and third determinations, proximate a current time that is on or after a start time A corresponding to the log entry A and that is before the start time B, determining a time period as a difference between the current time and the start time B; and providing the determined time period to an output device for presentation proximate the current time.

Claims (30)

1. A method for use in connection with a television-broadcasting system configured to perform functions related to television broadcasting, wherein the television-broadcasting system comprising an automation system and a traffic system, the method comprising:

accessing, by the automation system, a stored television-broadcasting traffic log created by the traffic system, wherein the traffic log includes multiple ordered log entries;

making, by the automation system, a determination that a log-entry B in the traffic log is a next log entry after a log-entry A to correspond to a particular type of video source;

after making the determination, proximate a current time that is on or after a start-time A corresponding to the log-entry A and that is before a start-time B corresponding to the log-entry B, determining, by the automation system, a time period as a difference between a current time and the start-time B; and

outputting, by the automation system, an indication of the determined time-period.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the log-entry A corresponds to a recorded video-component (VC), and wherein the method further comprises proximate the start-time A, causing the VC to start being sent to an air-chain system for television broadcast.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting a triggering event, wherein making the determination occurs in response to detecting the triggering event.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein detecting the triggering event comprises determining that a start time of a log entry in the traffic log has changed.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises at periodic intervals, (i) proximate a next current-time that is on or after the start-time A and that is before the start-time B, determining a next time-period as a difference between a next current-time and the start-time B, and (ii) outputting an indication of the determined next time-period.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein making the determination that the log-entry B in the traffic log is the next log entry after the log-entry A to correspond to the particular type of video source comprises determining that the log-entry B in the traffic log is the next log entry after the log-entry A to correspond to a live-news-production source.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein outputting the indication of the determined time-period comprises outputting, proximate the current time, the indication of the determined time-period.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the time period as the difference between the current time and the start-time B occurs in response to making the determination.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that when executed by a processor cause performance of a set of functions for use in connection with a television-broadcasting system configured to perform functions related to television broadcasting, wherein the television-broadcasting system comprising an automation system and a traffic system, the set of functions comprising:

accessing, by the automation system, a stored television-broadcasting traffic log created by the traffic system, wherein the traffic log includes multiple ordered log entries;

making, by the automation system, a determination that a log-entry B in the traffic log is a next log entry after a log-entry A to correspond to a particular type of video source;

after making the determination, proximate a current time that is on or after a start-time A corresponding to the log-entry A and that is before a start-time B corresponding to the log-entry B, determining, by the automation system, a time period as a difference between a current time and the start-time B; and

outputting, by the automation system, an indication of the determined time-period.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the log-entry A corresponds to a recorded video-component (VC), and wherein the set of functions further comprises proximate the start-time A, causing the VC to start being sent to an air-chain system for television broadcast.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the set of functions further comprises detecting a triggering event, wherein making the determination occurs in response to detecting the triggering event.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein detecting the triggering event comprises determining that a start time of a log entry in the traffic log has changed.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the set of functions further comprises at periodic intervals, (i) proximate a next current-time that is on or after the start-time A and that is before the start-time B, determining a next time-period as a difference between a next current-time and the start-time B, and (ii) outputting an indication of the determined next time-period.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein making the determination that the log-entry B in the traffic log is the next log entry after the log-entry A to correspond to the particular type of video source comprises determining that the log-entry B in the traffic log is the next log entry after the log-entry A to correspond to a live-news-production source.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein outputting the indication of the determined time-period comprises outputting, proximate the current time, the indication of the determined time-period.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein determining the time period as the difference between the current time and the start-time B occurs in response to making the determination.

17. A live news production (LNS) system configured for producing and outputting a live show, wherein the LNS system comprises a user interface device, and wherein the LNS is configured for performing a set of functions comprising:

accessing, by the LNS, a stored television-broadcasting traffic log created by a traffic system of a television-broadcasting system, wherein the traffic log includes multiple ordered log entries;

making, by the LNS, a determination that a log-entry B in the traffic log is a next log entry after a log-entry A to correspond to a particular type of video source;

after making the determination, proximate a current time that is on or after a start-time A corresponding to the log-entry A and that is before a start-time B corresponding to the log-entry B, determining, by the LNS, a time period as a difference between a current time and the start-time B; and

outputting, via the user interface device of the LNS, an indication of the determined time-period.

18. The LNS of claim 17 , wherein the log-entry A corresponds to a recorded video-component (VC), and wherein the set of functions further comprises proximate the start-time A, causing the VC to start being sent to an air-chain system for television broadcast.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE - REEL/FRAME 045506/0033 Recorded Sep 24, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: TRIBUNE BROADCASTING COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 050473/0901 →
PARTIAL RELEASE - REEL/FRAME 039667/0565 Recorded Sep 24, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: TRIBUNE BROADCASTING COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 050474/0975 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 19, 2019
From: CHICAGOLAND TELEVISION NEWS, INC.; KPLR, INC.; KSTU, LLC; KSWB, LLC; KTLA, LLC; KTVI, LLC; KWGN, LLC; TRIBUNE BROADCASTING COMPANY, LLC; TRIBUNE BROADCASTING DENVER, LLC; TRIBUNE BROADCASTING FORT SMITH, LLC; TRIBUNE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY, LLC; TRIBUNE MEDIA COMPANY; TRIBUNE TELEVISION NEW ORLEANS, INC.; WDAF LICENSE, INC.; WDCW, LLC; WGHP, LLC; WGN CONTINENTAL BROADCASTING COMPANY, LLC; WHNT, LLC; WJW TELEVISION, LLC; WNEP, LLC; WPIX, LLC; WQAD, LLC; WREG, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 050438/0004 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 6, 2018
From: TRIBUNE BROADCASTING COMPANY, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 045506/0033 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 12, 2016
From: GRACENOTE, INC.; CASTTV, INC.; TRIBUNE BROADCASTING COMPANY, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 039667/0565 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2016
From: HUNDEMER, HANK J.
To: TRIBUNE BROADCASTING COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 038803/0070 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 14842270 · Sep 1, 2015
Continuation 14622366 · Feb 13, 2015
Continuation 13833760 · Mar 15, 2013