IP Library Granted Patent US 12,211,071
Granted Patent B2
US 12,211,071 · App. 17/460,593 · Granted Jan 28, 2025

Transmission of streaming station associated with over-the-air broadcast station

Inventor: Jeffrey Lee Littlejohn (Mason, OH)
Assignee: iHeartMedia Management Services, Inc.
G06Q30/0271G06Q30/0267H04B1/082H04H20/24H04H20/26H04L65/611H04L67/02H04L67/12H04W4/80H04H60/44
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,211,071
App. No.
17/460,593
Granted
Jan 28, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method includes receiving, from a requesting device, a broadcast station identifier associated with an over-the-air broadcast station. In response to receiving the station identifier, returning to the requesting device an address of a streaming station corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station. A determination is made regarding whether the requesting device will insert advertisements locally. In response to determining that the requesting will insert advertisements locally, custom advertisements are transmitted to the requesting device for insertion into the streaming station corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station.

Claims (64)

1. A method for use in a system including a hybrid radio, the method comprising:

receiving, from a requesting device, a broadcast station identifier associated with an over-the-air broadcast station indicating a request to receive a streaming station corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station;

in response to receiving the broadcast station identifier, returning to the requesting device an address of the streaming station corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station;

determining whether the requesting device will modify content included in the streaming station locally; and

in response to determining that the requesting device will modify the content included in the streaming station locally, transmitting to the requesting device

the streaming station corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station, and

custom streaming content for insertion by the requesting device into the streaming station corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from the requesting device, a request to receive the streaming station corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station;

in response to determining that the requesting device will not insert custom streaming content locally:

inserting the custom streaming content into the streaming station corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station; and

transmitting the streaming station corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station to the requesting device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving preference information collected by the requesting device; and

obtaining custom streaming content selected based on the preference information collected by the requesting device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein:

the requesting device is an automotive radio receiver carried in a vehicle; and

the preference information includes information about a passenger of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

returning to the requesting device, in response to receiving the broadcast station identifier, addresses of a plurality of streaming stations corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station; and

receiving, from the requesting device, a request to receive a particular streaming station of the plurality of streaming stations corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

wherein the method is performed by a web service; and

coordinating, by the web service, with a media automation system to identify one or more streaming stations corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station.

7. A method for use in a hybrid radio, the method comprising:

transmitting a broadcast station identifier associated with an over-the-air broadcast station indicating a request to receive a streaming station corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station from a requesting device to a web service implemented in a processing system;

receiving, at the requesting device, an address of the streaming station corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station from the web service;

transmitting, to the web service, information indicating whether the requesting device will modify content included in the streaming station locally; and

in response to transmitting information indicating that the streaming station will be modified locally, receiving from the web service

the streaming station corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station, and

custom streaming content for insertion by the requesting device into the streaming station corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

inserting the custom streaming content into the streaming station corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

collecting preference information at the requesting device; and

transmitting the preference information to the web service.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein:

the requesting device is an automotive radio receiver carried in a vehicle; and

the preference information includes information about a passenger of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

receiving, from the web service, addresses of a plurality of streaming stations corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station; and

transmitting to the web service, a request to receive a particular streaming station of the plurality of streaming stations corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station.

12. A method for use in a system including a hybrid automotive radio, the method comprising:

receiving at a web service, a broadcast station identifier associated with an over-the-air broadcast station indicating a request to receive a streaming station corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station, wherein the broadcast station identifier is transmitted from a hybrid automotive radio;

in response to receiving the broadcast station identifier, returning to the hybrid automotive radio an address of the streaming station corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station;

determining by the web service, whether the hybrid automotive radio will modify content included in the streaming station locally; and

in response to determining that the hybrid automotive radio will modify the content included in the streaming station locally, the web service coordinating with a media automation system to transmit to the hybrid automotive radio

the streaming station corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station, and

custom streaming content for insertion by the hybrid automotive radio into the streaming station corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

receiving at the web service, from the hybrid automotive radio, a request to receive the streaming station corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station;

in response to the web service determining that the hybrid automotive radio will not modify the content included in the streaming station locally:

inserting, at the web service, the custom streaming content into the streaming station corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station; and

transmitting, by the web service, the streaming station corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station to the hybrid automotive radio.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

receiving preference information associated with the hybrid automotive radio; and

obtaining custom streaming content selected based on the preference information.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein:

the preference information includes information about a passenger of a vehicle in which the hybrid automotive radio is located.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

returning from the web service to the hybrid automotive radio, in response to receiving the broadcast station identifier, addresses of a plurality of streaming stations corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station; and

receiving at the web service, from the hybrid automotive radio, a request to receive a particular streaming station of the plurality of streaming stations corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

coordinating, by the web service, with a media automation system to identify one or more streaming stations corresponding to the over-the-air broadcast station.

Assignments (7)
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 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 22, 2024
From: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 069752/0941 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 31, 2021
From: LITTLEJOHN, JEFFREY LEE
To: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 057335/0194 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,562,830