Granted Patent B2

US 11,683,546 · App. 17/965,836 · Granted Jun 20, 2023

Inventors: David C. Jellison, Jr. (Austin, TX); Jeffrey Lee Littlejohn (Cincinnati, OH); Richard A. Ramirez (San Antonio, TX); Joseph Kubon, III (San Antonio, TX); Robert Glenn Speicher, Jr. (San Antonio, TX)

Assignee: iHeartMedia Management Services, Inc.

H04N21/25G06F16/40G06F16/41G06F16/48H04L65/762H04L67/10H04L67/55H04L67/60H04N21/84

Abstract

Claims (91)

1. A method comprising:

obtaining, from a first database accessible to an enrichment-content delivery system, first information associating a first unique master identifier with a plurality of different aliases, wherein the first unique master identifier is assigned to a first primary content item;

obtaining, from a second database accessible to the enrichment-content delivery system, second information linking the first unique master identifier to first enrichment content;

receiving first playout information from a first media station, the first playout information including a first alias identifying a first media item scheduled for playout by the first media station;

determining, based on the first information and the second information, that the first alias is associated with the first unique master identifier assigned to the first primary content item; and

in response to determining that the first alias is associated with the first unique master identifier assigned to the first primary content item, transmitting the first enrichment content to the first media station.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether the first media item scheduled for playout by the first media station matches the first primary content item; and

in response to determining that the first media item scheduled for playout by the first media station fails to match the first primary content item, removing from the first database an association between the first unique master identifier and the first alias.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining, from the first database, third information associating a second unique master identifier with one or more second aliases, wherein the second unique master identifier is assigned to the first primary content item;

obtaining, from the second database, fourth information linking the second unique master identifier to second enrichment content different from the first enrichment content;

receiving second playout information from a second media station, the second playout information including a second alias identifying a second media item scheduled for playout by the second media station;

determining, based on the third information and the fourth information, that the second alias is associated with the second unique master identifier assigned to the first primary content item; and

in response to determining that the second alias is associated with the second unique master identifier assigned to the first primary content item, transmitting the second enrichment content to the second media station.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the second information linking the first unique master identifier to the first enrichment content includes:

obtaining an enrichment identifier linking the first enrichment content to the first unique master identifier.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining subscriber preferences associated with the first media station; and

transmitting the first enrichment content to the first media station based on the subscriber preferences.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first media station is a primary broadcast station, the method further comprising:

determining that a station override is in place for the primary broadcast station, wherein the station override indicates limitations on transmitting the first enrichment content to the primary broadcast station; and

transmitting the first enrichment content to the primary broadcast station in accordance with the station override.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first media station is a streaming station associated with a primary broadcast station, the method further comprising:

determining that a station override is in place for the primary broadcast station, wherein the station override indicates limitations on transmitting the first enrichment content to streaming stations associated with the primary broadcast station; and

transmitting the first enrichment content to the streaming station in accordance with the station override.

8. An enrichment-content delivery system comprising:

a processor and associated memory;

a communications interface coupled to the processor and associated memory;

the processor and associated memory configured to:

obtain, from a first database, first information associating a first unique master identifier with a plurality of different aliases, wherein the first unique master identifier is assigned to a first primary content item;

obtain, from a second database, second information linking the first unique master identifier to first enrichment content;

the communications interface configured to receive first playout information from a first media station, the first playout information including a first alias identifying a first media item scheduled for playout by the first media station;

the processor and associated memory further configured to:

determine, based on the first information and the second information, that the first alias is associated with the first unique master identifier assigned to the first primary content item; and

in response to determining that the first alias is associated with the first unique master identifier assigned to the first primary content item, transmit the first enrichment content to the first media station via the communications interface.

9. The enrichment-content delivery system of claim 8 , wherein the processor and associated memory are further configured to:

determine whether the first media item scheduled for playout by the first media station matches the first primary content item; and

in response to determining that the first media item scheduled for playout by the first media station fails to match the first primary content item, removing from the first database an association between the first unique master identifier and the first alias.

10. The enrichment-content delivery system of claim 8 , wherein:

the processor and associated memory are further configured to:

obtain, from the first database, third information associating a second unique master identifier with one or more second aliases, wherein the second unique master identifier is assigned to the first primary content item;

obtain, from the second database, fourth information linking the second unique master identifier to second enrichment content different from the first enrichment content;

the communications interface is further configured to receive second playout information from a second media station, the second playout information including a second alias identifying a second media item scheduled for playout by the second media station;

the processor and associated memory are further configured to:

determine, based on the third information and the fourth information, that the second alias is associated with the second unique master identifier assigned to the first primary content item; and

in response to determining that the second alias is associated with the second unique master identifier assigned to the first primary content item, transmit the second enrichment content to the second media station via the communications interface.

11. The enrichment-content delivery system of claim 8 , wherein the processor and associated memory are further configured to:

obtain an enrichment identifier linking the first enrichment content to the first unique master identifier.

12. The enrichment-content delivery system of claim 8 , wherein the processor and associated memory are further configured to:

obtain subscriber preferences associated with the first media station; and

transmit the first enrichment content to the first media station based on the subscriber preferences.

13. The enrichment-content delivery system of claim 8 , wherein the first media station is a primary broadcast station, and wherein the processor and associated memory are further configured to:

determine that a station override is in place for the primary broadcast station, wherein the station override indicates limitations on transmitting the first enrichment content to the primary broadcast station; and

transmit the first enrichment content to the primary broadcast station in accordance with the station override.

14. The enrichment-content delivery system of claim 8 , wherein the first media station is a streaming station associated with a primary broadcast station, and wherein the processor and associated memory are further configured to:

determine that a station override is in place for the primary broadcast station, wherein the station override indicates limitations on transmitting the first enrichment content to streaming stations associated with the primary broadcast station; and

transmit the first enrichment content to the streaming station in accordance with the station override.

15. A media content delivery system comprising:

a processor and associated memory;

a communications interface coupled to the processor and associated memory;

the processor and associated memory configured to:

obtain, from a first database, first information associating a first unique master identifier with a plurality of different aliases, wherein the first unique master identifier is assigned to a first primary content item;

obtain, from a second database, second information linking the first unique master identifier to first enrichment content;

the communications interface configured to receive first playout information from a first media station, the first playout information including a first alias identifying a first media item scheduled for playout by the first media station;

the processor and associated memory further configured to:

determine, based on the first information and the second information, that the first alias is associated with the first unique master identifier assigned to the first primary content item;

in response to determining that the first alias is associated with the first unique master identifier assigned to the first primary content item:

obtain the first primary content item from a content library; and

transmit the first primary content item and the first enrichment content to the first media station via the communications interface.

16. The media content delivery system of claim 15 , wherein the processor and associated memory are further configured to:

determine whether the first media item scheduled for playout by the first media station matches the first primary content item; and

in response to determining that the first media item scheduled for playout by the first media station fails to match the first primary content item, removing from the first database an association between the first unique master identifier and the first alias.

17. The media content delivery system of claim 15 , wherein:

the processor and associated memory are further configured to:

obtain, from the first database, third information associating a second unique master identifier with one or more second aliases, wherein the second unique master identifier is assigned to the first primary content item;

obtain, from the second database, fourth information linking the second unique master identifier to second enrichment content different from the first enrichment content;

the communications interface is further configured to receive second playout information from a second media station, the second playout information including a second alias identifying a second media item scheduled for playout by the second media station;

the processor and associated memory are further configured to:

determine, based on the third information and the fourth information, that the second alias is associated with the second unique master identifier assigned to the first primary content item;

in response to determining that the second alias is associated with the second unique master identifier assigned to the first primary content item:

obtain the first primary content item from the content library; and

transmit the first primary content item and the second enrichment content to the second media station via the communications interface.

18. The media content delivery system of claim 15 , wherein the processor and associated memory are further configured to:

obtain an enrichment identifier linking the first enrichment content to the first unique master identifier.

19. The media content delivery system of claim 15 , wherein the processor and associated memory are further configured to:

obtain subscriber preferences associated with the first media station; and

transmit the first enrichment content to the first media station based on the subscriber preferences.

20. The media content delivery system of claim 15 , wherein the first media station is a primary broadcast station, and wherein the processor and associated memory are further configured to:

determine that a station override is in place for the primary broadcast station, wherein the station override indicates limitations on transmitting the first enrichment content to the primary broadcast station; and

transmit the first enrichment content to the primary broadcast station in accordance with the station override.

Assignments (8)

Continuity (8)