IP Library Granted Patent US 10,614,060
Granted Patent B2
US 10,614,060 · App. 15/898,049 · Granted Apr 7, 2020

Multimedia scheduling for airplay with carry forward constant order

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,614,060
App. No.
15/898,049
Granted
Apr 7, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device and method for using carry forward conflict resolution in a constant order schema for multimedia airplay scheduling. A reusable multimedia content set (e.g., music, news, other audio, advertising, etc.) can be combined with a secondary multimedia content set for playback of multimedia content to create a scheduling order. Conflicts in the scheduling order resulting from the combination can be resolved by exchanging slot positions in the reusable multimedia content set, which can then be reused for combination with subsequent secondary multimedia content sets while maintaining the previous conflict resolved scheduling order, thereby adhering to a substantially constant order for the multimedia content.

Claims (44)

1. A method for use in an automated scheduling system including a processing module of a computing device, the method comprises:

retrieving, at the automated scheduling system, a first set of multimedia content identifiers having a first sequential order, wherein the first set of multimedia content identifiers is used to create a plurality of airplay schedules for media airplay, and further wherein each of the first set of multimedia content identifiers includes at least one multimedia parameter;

retrieving, at the automated scheduling system, a second set of multimedia content identifiers having a second sequential order, wherein the second sequential order is different than the first sequential order, wherein each of the second set of multimedia content identifiers includes at least one multimedia parameter;

creating a first airplay schedule by combining, at the automated scheduling system, the first set and the second set of the multimedia content identifiers to produce at least a portion of a chronological scheduling order having a plurality of slot positions;

determining, by the automated scheduling system, that one or more conflicts exist in the at least a portion of a chronological scheduling order;

modifying, at the automated scheduling system, the first sequential order of the first set of multimedia content identifiers to have a third sequential order, wherein the third sequential order is different than the first sequential order and the second sequential order, wherein the third sequential order resolves at least one of the one or more conflicts in the chronological scheduling order to produce a modified portion of the chronological scheduling order;

retrieving, at the automated scheduling system, a third set of multimedia content identifiers having a fourth sequential order, wherein the fourth sequential order is different than the first sequential order, the second sequential order and the third sequential order, wherein each of the third set of multimedia content identifiers includes at least one multimedia parameter; and

reusing the first set of multimedia identifiers to create a second airplay schedule by combining the first set of multimedia identifiers having the third sequential order and the third set of the multimedia content identifiers having the fourth sequential order to produce another at least a portion of the chronological scheduling order having a plurality of slot positions.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more conflicts include at least one multimedia parameter of the first set and the second set having equivalent data values within a predetermined number of slot values of the at least the portion of the chronological scheduling order.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one multimedia parameter comprises at least one of multimedia genre data; multimedia artist data; multimedia author data; and multimedia album data.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modifying the first sequential order to produce a first set of multimedia content identifiers having a third sequential order includes exchanging a position of at least one multimedia content identifier in one slot position of the plurality of slot positions with another slot position of the plurality of slot positions.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the combining the first set and the second set of the multimedia content identifiers includes interlacing the first set and the second set of the multimedia content identifiers.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the interlacing is random.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the interlacing is determined based upon an algorithm relating at least partially to subscriber feedback.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second set of multimedia content identifiers is related to at least one of power current multimedia content, or top song multimedia content.

9. A computer-based device for multimedia-content airplay scheduling, the computer-based device comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to the processor; and

a non-transitory computer-usable medium embodying computer code, the computer code including a program of instructions executable by the processor and configured for:

retrieving a first set of multimedia content identifiers having a first sequential order, wherein the first set of multimedia content identifiers is used to create a plurality of airplay schedules for media airplay, and further wherein each of the first set of multimedia content identifiers includes at least one multimedia parameter;

retrieving a second set of multimedia content identifiers having a second sequential order, wherein the second sequential order is different than the first sequential order, wherein each of the second set of multimedia content identifiers includes at least one multimedia parameter;

creating a first airplay schedule by combining the first set and the second set of the multimedia content identifiers to produce at least a portion of a chronological scheduling order having a plurality of slot positions;

determining that one or more conflicts exist in the at least a portion of a chronological scheduling order;

modifying the first sequential order of the first set of multimedia content identifiers to have a third sequential order, wherein the third sequential order is different than the first sequential order and the second sequential order, wherein the third sequential order resolves at least one of the one or more conflicts in the chronological scheduling order to produce a modified portion of the chronological scheduling order;

retrieving a third set of multimedia content identifiers having a fourth sequential order, and wherein the fourth sequential order is different than the first sequential order, the second sequential order and the third sequential order, wherein each of the third set of multimedia content identifiers includes at least one multimedia parameter; and

reusing the first set of multimedia identifiers to create a second airplay schedule by combining the first set of multimedia identifiers having the third sequential order and the third set of the multimedia content identifiers having the fourth sequential order to produce another at least a portion of the chronological scheduling order having a plurality of slot positions.

10. The computer-based device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more conflicts include at least one multimedia parameter of the first set and the second set having equivalent data values within a predetermined number of slot values of the at least the portion of the chronological scheduling order.

11. The computer-based device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one multimedia parameter comprising at least one of: a multimedia genre data; a multimedia artist data; a multimedia author data; and a multimedia album data.

12. The computer-based device of claim 9 , wherein the program of instructions further configured for: modifying the first sequential order to produce a first set of multimedia content identifiers having a third sequential order based on exchanging a position of at least one multimedia content identifier in one slot position of the plurality of slot positions with another slot position of the plurality of slot positions.

13. The computer-based device of claim 9 , wherein the combining the first set and the second set of the multimedia content identifiers includes interlacing the first set and the second set of the multimedia content identifiers.

14. The computer-based device of claim 13 , wherein the interlacing is random.

15. The computer-based device of claim 13 , wherein the interlacing is determined based upon an algorithm relating at least partially to subscriber feedback.

16. The computer-based device of claim 9 , wherein the second set of multimedia content identifiers is related to at least one of power current multimedia content, or top song multimedia content.

17. A non-transitory computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising a computer-executable program of instructions configured for:

retrieving a first set of multimedia content identifiers having a first sequential order, wherein the first set of multimedia content identifiers is used to create a plurality of airplay schedules for media airplay, and further wherein each of the first set of multimedia content identifiers includes at least one multimedia parameter;

retrieving a second set of multimedia content identifiers having a second sequential order, wherein the second sequential order is different than the first sequential order, wherein each of the second set of multimedia content identifiers includes at least one multimedia parameter;

creating a first airplay schedule by combining the first set and the second set of the multimedia content identifiers to produce at least a portion of a chronological scheduling order having a plurality of slot positions;

determining that one or more conflicts exist in the at least a portion of a chronological scheduling order;

modifying the first sequential order of the first set of multimedia content identifiers to have a third sequential order, and wherein the third sequential order is different than the first sequential order and the second sequential order, wherein the third sequential order resolves at least one of the one or more conflicts in the chronological scheduling order to produce a modified portion of the chronological scheduling order;

retrieving a third set of multimedia content identifiers having a fourth sequential order, and wherein the fourth sequential order is different than the first sequential order, the second sequential order and the third sequential order, wherein each of the third set of multimedia content identifiers includes at least one multimedia parameter; and

reusing the first set of multimedia identifiers to create a second airplay schedule by combining the first set of multimedia identifiers having the third sequential order and the third set of the multimedia content identifiers having the fourth sequential order to produce another at least a portion of the chronological scheduling order having a plurality of slot positions.

18. The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 17 , wherein the one or more conflicts include at least one multimedia parameter of the first set and the second set having equivalent data values within a predetermined number of slot value of the at least the portion of the chronological scheduling order.

19. The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 17 , wherein the at least one multimedia parameter comprising at least one of: 7 multimedia genre data; multimedia artist data; multimedia author data; and multimedia album data.

20. The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 17 , wherein the computer-executable program of instructions further configured for: modifying the first sequential order to produce a first set of multimedia content identifiers having a third sequential order based on exchanging a position of at least one multimedia content identifier in one slot position of the plurality of slot positions with another slot position of the plurality of slot positions.

Assignments (16)
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 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 →
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 →
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 →
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 INTEREST Recorded May 2, 2019
From: IHEARTCOMMUNICATIONS, INC.; IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 049079/0814 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 15, 2018
From: ATTWELL, NIGEL; WEBBER, WILLIAM WALLACE, JR.
To: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 044947/0424 →