Granted Patent B2

US 12,639,369 · App. 16/678,984 · Granted May 26, 2026

Inventors: Jeffrey D. Zigler (Omaha, NE); Richard D. Wooden (Ogallala, NE); Jacqueline J. Lockhart (Poway, CA); Kevin R. Lockhart (Ogallala, NE); Theodore N. Myers (Fort Collins, CO); Evan A. Hill (Bend, OR)

Assignee: iHeartMedia Management Services, Inc.

G06F16/686G06F16/639G06F16/64G06F16/68

Abstract

Claims (69)

1 . A method for execution by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices of a server computer, the method comprising:

obtaining first user input specifying a first file location associated with pre-roll content, and second user input specifying a second file location associated with time-sensitive content;

generating, by the server computer, a dynamic data file, wherein generating the dynamic data file includes

inserting a first link to the first file location into the dynamic data file;

inserting a second link to the second file location into the dynamic data file;

inserting an expiration time into the dynamic data file, wherein the expiration time indicates a length of time after which content of the dynamic data file will be deemed stale;

inserting an expiration resolution into the dynamic data file;

transmitting the dynamic data file to a computing device, wherein a media player being executed on the computing device retrieves the pre-roll content from the first file location and plays out the pre-roll content, and obtains the time-sensitive content from the second file location and plays out the time-sensitive content; and

controlling updater software being executed on the computing device to shift an update time of the dynamic data file based on the expiration resolution.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the dynamic data file includes:

inserting a backup file location associated with the time-sensitive content into the dynamic data file.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the server computer via a communications interface, user profile information indicating a geographic area; and

wherein the second link is selected based, at least in part, on the geographic area.

4 . A method for execution by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices of a server computer, the method comprising:

obtaining first user input specifying a first file location associated with a first source of media content, and a second user input specifying a second file location associated with a backup source of the media content;

generating, by the server computer, a dynamic media file, wherein generating the dynamic media file includes

inserting a content-source link to the first file location into the dynamic media file;

inserting a backup-source link to the second file location into the dynamic media file;

inserting an expiration time into the dynamic media file, wherein the expiration time indicates a length of time after which content of the dynamic media file will be deemed stale;

inserting an expiration resolution into the dynamic media;

transmitting the dynamic media file to a computing device, wherein a media player being executed on the computing device attempts to retrieve the media content from the first file location, and in response to being unable to retrieve the media content from the first file location, attempts to retrieve the media content from the second file location; and

controlling updater software being executed on the computing device to shift an update time of the dynamic media file based on the expiration resolution.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein:

the first file location and the second file location are associated with targeted advertising content.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

receiving, by the server computer via a communications interface, user profile information; and

selecting the targeted advertising content from a set of targeted advertising files generated based on the user profile information.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein:

the user profile information specifies a geographic area; and

generating said dynamic media file includes selecting at least the content-source link based, at least in part, on the geographic area.

8 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

setting a PreRoll attribute identifying a location of media content to be presented to a user prior to presenting other content included in the dynamic media file.

9 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

obtaining third user input specifying a third file location associated with pre-roll content; and

inserting a third link to the third file location into the dynamic media file.

10 . The method of claim 4 , wherein said dynamic media file is further associated with:

a redirection source link associated with content different from the media content.

11 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

receiving usage data including a notification packet indicating that the dynamic media file has been updated.

12 . A server computer comprising:

an interface configured to interface and communicate with a communication system;

memory that stores operational instructions; and

processing circuitry operably coupled to the interface and to the memory, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to execute the operational instructions to:

receive user profile information;

obtain first user input specifying a first file location associated with pre-roll content, and second user input specifying a second file location associated with time-sensitive content;

generate a dynamic media file based at least in part on the user profile information, wherein generating the dynamic media file includes

inserting a first link to the first file location into the dynamic media file;

inserting a second link to the second file location into the dynamic media file;

inserting an expiration time into the dynamic media file, wherein the expiration time indicates a length of time after which content of the dynamic media file will be deemed stale;

inserting an expiration resolution into the dynamic media file;

generate a playlist;

insert the dynamic media file in the playlist;

transmit the playlist to a computing device, wherein a media player being executed on the computing device retrieves the pre-roll content from the first file location and plays out the pre-roll content, and obtains the time-sensitive content from the second file location and plays out the time-sensitive content; and

control updater software being executed on the computing device to shift an update time of the dynamic media file based on the expiration resolution.

13 . The server computer of claim 12 , wherein:

the second file location is associated with targeted advertising content.

14 . The server computer of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to execute the operational instructions to:

insert a redirection source link associated with content different from the media content into the dynamic media file.

15 . The server computer of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to execute the operational instructions to:

set a PreRoll attribute identifying a location of media content to be presented to a user prior to presenting other content included in the dynamic media file.

16 . The server computer of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to execute the operational instructions to:

obtain third user input specifying a backup file location associated with an alternate location of the time-sensitive content; and

inserting a third link to the backup file location into the dynamic media file.

17 . The server computer of claim 12 , wherein:

the user profile information specifies a geographic area; and

the dynamic media file is selected based, at least in part, on the geographic area.

18 . The server computer of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to execute the operational instructions to:

receive usage data including a notification packet indicating that the dynamic media file has been updated.

Assignments (9)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (20)