IP Library Granted Patent US 10,942,901
Granted Patent B2
US 10,942,901 · App. 16/006,424 · Granted Mar 9, 2021

Generating broadcast log with paired advertisement and primary programming item

Inventors: Jeffrey Lee Littlejohn (Cincinnati, OH); David C. Jellison, Jr. (Ogallala, NE)
Assignee: iHeartMedia Management Services, Inc.
G06F16/1827G06F16/27G06F16/43H04H20/103H04H20/24H04H60/06H04H60/21H04H60/82
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,942,901
App. No.
16/006,424
Granted
Mar 9, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a media automation system, a database server transmits a request to a traffic and billing system to identify both an advertisement for potential inclusion in a content block, and a first primary programming item to be scheduled adjacent to the advertisement in a broadcast log, i.e. a paired advertisement and primary programming item, and receives a message identifying the advertisement and the first primary programming item from the traffic and billing system in response to that request. The database server responds to the message from the traffic and billing system by inserting the advertisement into the broadcast log adjacent to the first primary programming item, transmitting a signal notifying the traffic and billing system that the advertisement and the first primary programming item have been inserted into the broadcast log, and delivering the broadcast log to a media server.

Claims (48)

1. A method implemented using a media automation system, the method comprising:

transmitting a first request from a database server to a traffic and billing system, the first request including a request for the traffic and billing system to identify a particular advertisement for potential inclusion in at least two different content blocks associated with two different consumer demographics, and to identify at least two different primary programming items to be scheduled adjacent to the particular advertisement in at least two different broadcast logs associated with the at least two different content blocks;

receiving a message from the traffic and billing system in response to the first request, the message identifying the particular advertisement and the at least two different primary programming items;

the database server responding to the message by:

inserting the particular advertisement into the at least two different broadcast logs associated with the at least two different content blocks;

inserting a first primary programming item into a first broadcast log adjacent to the particular advertisement;

inserting a second primary programming item into a second broadcast log adjacent to the particular advertisement;

transmitting a signal notifying the traffic and billing system that the particular advertisement and the at least two different primary programming items have been inserted into the at least two different broadcast logs; and

delivering the at least two different broadcast logs to at least one media server.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining information related to media consumer preferences from a cloud-based application; and

transmitting the information related to media consumer preferences in the first request from the database server to the traffic and billing system.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

receiving, at the database server, a second request for content from the cloud-based application; and

transmitting the first request from the database server to the traffic and billing system in response to receiving the second request for content from the cloud-based application.

4. A media automation system comprising:

a database server configured to transmit a first request to a traffic and billing system, the first request including a request for the traffic and billing system to identify a particular advertisement for potential inclusion in at least two different content blocks associated with two different consumer demographics, and to identify at least two different primary programming items to be scheduled adjacent to the particular advertisement in at least two different broadcast logs associated with the at least two different content blocks;

the traffic and billing system configured to transmit a message to the database server in response to the first request, the message identifying the particular advertisement and at least two different primary programming items;

the database server configured to respond to the message from the traffic and billing system by:

inserting the particular advertisement into the at least two different broadcast logs associated with the at least two different content blocks;

inserting a first primary programming item into a first broadcast log adjacent to the particular advertisement;

inserting a second primary programming item into a second broadcast log adjacent to the particular advertisement;

transmitting a signal notifying the traffic and billing system that the particular advertisement and the at least two different primary programming items have been inserted into the at least two different broadcast logs; and

delivering the at least two different broadcast logs to at least one media server.

5. The media automation system of claim 4 , the database server configured to:

obtain information related to media consumer preferences from a cloud-based application; and

include the information related to media consumer preferences in the first request from the database server to the traffic and billing system.

6. The media automation system of claim 5 , the database server configured to:

receive a second request for content from the cloud-based application; and

transmit the first request from the database server to the traffic and billing system in response to receiving the second request for content from the cloud-based application.

7. A database server comprising:

a processor;

a network interface coupled to the processor and a cloud-based media application via a communications network;

memory operably associated with the processor, the memory configured to store a program of instructions to be executed by the processor, the program of instructions including:

at least one instruction to transmit a first request to a traffic and billing system, the first request including a request for the traffic and billing system to identify a particular advertisement for potential inclusion in at least two different content blocks associated with two different consumer demographics, and to identify at least two different primary programming items to be scheduled adjacent to the particular advertisement in at least two different broadcast logs associated with the at least two different content blocks;

at least one instruction to receive a message from the traffic and billing system in response to the first request, the message identifying the particular advertisement and the at least two different primary programming items;

at least one instruction to respond to the message by:

inserting the particular advertisement into the at least two different broadcast logs associated with the at least two different content blocks;

inserting a first primary programming item into a first broadcast log adjacent to the particular advertisement;

inserting a second primary programming item into a second broadcast log adjacent to the particular advertisement;

transmitting a signal notifying the traffic and billing system that the particular advertisement and the at least two different primary programming items have been inserted into the at least two different broadcast logs; and

delivering the at least two different broadcast logs to at least one media server.

8. The database server of claim 7 , the program of instructions further comprising:

at least one instruction to obtain information related to media consumer preferences from a cloud-based application; and

at least one instruction to include the information related to media consumer preferences in the first request from the database server to the traffic and billing system.

9. The database server of claim 8 , the program of instructions further comprising:

at least one instruction to receive a second request for content from the cloud-based application; and

at least one instruction to transmit the first request to the traffic and billing system in response to receiving the second request for content from the cloud-based application.

Assignments (17)
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 →
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 13, 2018
From: LITTLEJOHN, JEFFREY LEE; JELLISON, DAVID C., JR.
To: CLEAR CHANNEL MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 046065/0742 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 13, 2018
From: CLEAR CHANNEL MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 046351/0323 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 15135162 · Apr 21, 2016
Continuation 13943280 · Jul 16, 2013
Continuation In Part 12624252 · Nov 23, 2009
Related Publication 20180293232A1 · Oct 11, 2018