Wired internet network system for the internet video streams of radio stations

Abstract

.[.The present invention provides.]. .Iadd.A system and method for providing .Iaddend.multi media video streams via high speed internet to a worldwide audience by using a specialized automation system with audio and video switching capabilities. This system provides video media streams to multiple platforms such as, cell phones, internet websites, and cable television subscribers.

Claims

1. A method for producing real-time synchronized audio and video signals using an audio stream of an over-the-air radio station comprising the steps of: a. providing real-time audio content using an audio stream transmitted over the Internet from an over-the-air broadcast of a radio station; b. providing video content to the over-the-air broadcast of a radio station, wherein the video content comprises .Iadd.at least one of: .Iaddend.(i) a library of video content stored on a server (ii) live video feed of said over-the-air radio station and (iii) live video feed of a remote location corresponding to at least a portion of the audio content of the audio stream of the over-the-air radio station; c. accessing by said over-the-air radio station at least one of (i) a library of video content stored on a server (ii) live video feed of said over-the-air radio station and (iii) live video feed of a remote location corresponding to at least a portion of the audio content of the audio stream of the over-the-air radio station; d. processing the audio content and the corresponding video content by said over-the-air radio station to produce parallel synchronized audio and video signals in real-time to said audio stream transmitted by said over-the-air radio station; and e. transmitting in real time the parallel synchronized audio and video signals by said over-the-air radio station, wherein the parallel synchronized audio and video signals are transmitted simultaneously over the Internet via a website associated with the over-the-air radio station.

2. A system for producing real-time synchronized audio and video signals using an audio stream of an over-the-air radio station comprising: a. audio content from an audio stream transmitted from an over-the-air radio station; b. video content from .Iadd.at least one of: .Iaddend.(i) a library of video content stored on a server (ii) live video feed of said over-the-air radio station and (iii) live video feed of a remote location corresponding to at least a portion of the audio content of the audio stream of the over-the-air radio station.Iadd.; .Iaddend.and c. a processor accessed by said over-the-air radio station having access to at least one of (i) said library of video content stored on a server (ii) said live video feed of said over-the-air radio station and (iii) said live video feed of a remote location corresponding to at least a portion of the audio content from the audio stream of the over-the-air radio station, said processor producing .[.a.]. parallel synchronized audio and video signals in real-time from the audio content and the corresponding video content, wherein the parallel synchronized audio and video signals are transmitted simultaneously over the Internet by the over-the-air radio station via a website associated with said over-the-air radio station.

.[.3. A library of video content for use in a system for producing real-time synchronized audio and video signals wherein audio content from an audio stream transmitted from an over-the-air radio station is processed with video content from (i) a library of video content stored on a server (ii) live video feed of said over-the-air radio station and (iii) live video feed of a remote location corresponding to at least a portion of the audio content of the audio stream of the over-the-air radio station, wherein said video content is accessed by said over-the-air radio station, said video content corresponding to at least a portion of the content of the audio stream of said over-the-air radio station to produce parallel synchronized audio and video signals in real-time from the audio content and the corresponding video content, wherein the parallel synchronized audio and video signals are transmitted simultaneously over the Internet by the over-the-air radio station via a website associated with said over-the-air radio station..].

.Iadd.4. The method of claim 1 wherein the video content is selected from a plurality of sources..Iaddend.

.Iadd.5. The method of claim 4 wherein the plurality of sources comprise: (i) a library of video content stored on a server, (ii) a live video feed of said over-the-air radio station, and (iii) a live video feed of a remote location..Iaddend.

.Iadd.6. The method of claim 4 wherein the plurality of sources comprise: (i) a library of video content stored on a server, and (ii) a live video feed of said over-the-air radio station..Iaddend.

.Iadd.7. The method of claim 4 wherein the plurality of sources comprise: (i) a library of video content stored on a server, and (ii) a live video feed of a remote location..Iaddend.

.Iadd.8. The method of claim 4 wherein the plurality of sources comprise: (i) a live video feed of said over-the-air radio station, and (ii) a live video feed of a remote location..Iaddend.

.Iadd.9. The method of claim 4 wherein the plurality of sources includes at least a library of video content stored on a server..Iaddend.

.Iadd.10. The method of claim 4 wherein the plurality of sources includes at least a live video feed of said over-the-air radio station..Iaddend.

.Iadd.11. The method of claim 4 wherein the plurality of sources includes at least a live video feed of a remote location..Iaddend.

.Iadd.12. The system of claim 2 wherein the video content is selected from a plurality of sources..Iaddend.

.Iadd.13. The system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of sources comprise: (i) a library of video content stored on a server, (ii) a live video feed of said over-the-air radio station, and (iii) a live video feed of a remote location..Iaddend.

.Iadd.14. The system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of sources comprise: (i) a library of video content stored on a server, and (ii) a live video feed of said over-the-air radio station..Iaddend.

.Iadd.15. The system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of sources comprise: (i) a library of video content stored on a server, and (ii) a live video feed of a remote location..Iaddend.

.Iadd.16. The system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of sources comprise: (i) a live video feed of said over-the-air radio station, and (ii) a live video feed of a remote location..Iaddend.

.Iadd.17. The system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of sources includes at least a library of video content stored on a server..Iaddend.

.Iadd.18. The system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of sources includes at least a live video feed of said over-the-air radio station..Iaddend.

.Iadd.19. The system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of sources includes at least a live video feed of a remote location..Iaddend.

.Iadd.20. A system for producing real-time synchronized audio and video signals using an audio stream of an over-the-air radio station comprising: a. a processor receiving: i audio content from an audio stream transmitted from an over-the-air radio station and ii video content from a central repository; and b. said processor producing parallel synchronized audio and video signals in real-time from the audio content and/or the corresponding video content, wherein the parallel synchronized audio and video signals are transmitted simultaneously over the Internet via a website associated with said over-the-air radio station..Iaddend.

.Iadd.21. The system of claim 20 wherein the corresponding video content is selected from a plurality of sources..Iaddend.

.Iadd.22. The system of claim 21 wherein the plurality of sources comprise: (i) a library of video content stored on a server, (ii) a live video feed of said over-the-air radio station, and (iii) a live video feed of a remote location..Iaddend.

.Iadd.23. The system of claim 21 wherein the plurality of sources comprise: (i) a library of video content stored on a server, and (ii) a live video feed of said over-the-air radio station..Iaddend.

.Iadd.24. The system of claim 21 wherein the plurality of sources comprise: (i) a library of video content stored on a server, and (ii) a live video feed of a remote location..Iaddend.

.Iadd.25. The system of claim 21 wherein the plurality of sources comprise: (i) a live video feed of said over-the-air radio station, and (ii) a live video feed of a remote location..Iaddend.

.Iadd.26. The system of claim 21 wherein the plurality of sources includes at least a library of video content stored on a server..Iaddend.

.Iadd.27. The system of claim 21 wherein the plurality of sources includes at least a live video feed of said over-the-air radio station..Iaddend.

.Iadd.28. The system of claim 21 wherein the plurality of sources includes at least a live video feed of a remote location..Iaddend.

.Iadd.29. A method for producing real-time synchronized audio and video signals using an audio stream of an over-the-air radio station comprising the steps of: a. providing a first real-time audio content using an audio stream transmitted over the Internet from an over-the-air broadcast of a radio station; b. providing video content corresponding to at least a first portion of said first real time audio content; c. processing the first audio content and the corresponding first video content by said over-the-air radio station to produce parallel synchronized audio and video signals in real-time to said audio stream transmitted by said over-the-air radio station; d. transmitting in real time the parallel synchronized audio and video signals by said over-the-air radio station, wherein the parallel synchronized audio and video signals are transmitted simultaneously over the Internet via a website associated with the over-the-air radio station; e. providing a second audio content and a second video content; f. substituting said second audio content and a second video content into the Internet transmission in place of a portion of the first audio content broadcast over-the-air; and g. resuming transmission over the Internet of the parallel synchronized audio and video signals..Iaddend.

.Iadd.30. A system for producing real-time synchronized audio and video signals using an audio stream of an over-the-air radio station comprising: a. a first audio content from an audio stream transmitted from an over-the-air radio station; b. a first video content corresponding to at least a portion of said first audio content; c. a processor accessed by said over-the-air radio station having access to said first video content, said processor producing parallel synchronized audio and video signals in real-time from the first audio content and the corresponding first video content, wherein the parallel synchronized audio and video signals are transmitted simultaneously over the Internet via a website associated with said over-the-air radio station; and d. a second audio content and a corresponding second video content; wherein said processor substitutes said second audio content and corresponding second video content into the Internet transmission in place of a portion of the first audio content and the corresponding first video content..Iaddend.

.Iadd.31. A method for producing real-time synchronized audio and video signals using an audio stream of an over-the-air radio station comprising the steps of: a. providing real-time audio content using an audio stream transmitted over the Internet from an over-the-air broadcast of a radio station; b. providing video content corresponding to at least a portion of said audio content, wherein the video content is selected from at least one of (i) a video content selected from a library of video content (ii) live video feed of said over-the-air radio station and (iii) live video feed of a remote location; c. accessing by said over-the-air radio station said at least one of (i) a library of video content stored on a server (ii) live video feed of said over-the-air radio station and (iii) live video feed of a remote location; d. processing the audio content and the corresponding video content by said over-the-air radio station to produce parallel synchronized audio and video signals in real-time to said audio stream transmitted by said over-the-air radio station; and e. transmitting in real time the parallel synchronized audio and video signals by said over-the-air radio station, wherein the parallel synchronized audio and video signals are transmitted simultaneously over the Internet via a website associated with the over-the-air radio station..Iaddend.

.Iadd.32. A system for producing real-time synchronized audio and video signals using an audio stream of an over-the-air radio station comprising: a. audio content from an audio stream transmitted from an over-the-air radio station; b. video content corresponding to at least a portion of said audio content, wherein the video content is selected from at least one of (i) a library of video content stored on a server (ii) live video feed of said over-the-air radio station and (iii) live video feed of a remote location; and c. a processor accessed by said over-the-air radio station having access to said at least one of (i) said library of video content stored on a server (ii) said live video feed of said over-the-air radio station and (iii) said live video feed of a remote location, said processor producing parallel synchronized audio and video signals in real-time from the audio content and the corresponding video content, wherein the parallel synchronized audio and video signals are transmitted simultaneously over the Internet by the over-the-air radio station via a website associated with said over-the-air radio station..Iaddend.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the system of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the implementation of the system of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(3) The system includes software which enables each radio station or affiliate in the network to allow the station to stream video simultaneously with its audio stream. That video can be either existing artist videos or listener generated videos. The software to allow streaming of audio and video already exists. Examples of suitable software are StreamAudio.com, AudioVideoWeb.com and Onstreammedia.com.. Each affiliate in the network is responsible for obtaining its own videos, maintaining its own website (including performance rights licenses), and addressing its broadband needs. Each affiliate provides to the network a predetermined amount of Internet inventory, terrestrial inventory, and a license fee for the software. Utilization of the software permits each affiliate to increase its saleable inventory of advertising opportunity by providing a mechanism to more effectively advertise on its Internet stream.

(4) The system enables a network to combine the Internet inventory of each affiliate into a network modeled after traditional radio networks. The network Internet inventory is negotiated by contract and thus readily identifiable on an hourly basis by each affiliate and can be pre-sold in advance unlike remnant inventory.

(5) The system provides the affiliates with an attractive bargain in which the affiliates increase their saleable advertising inventory for the cost of increasing their bandwidth and giving a predetermined amount of their terrestrial inventory to the new Internet network. The system permits the affiliates to target new sources of media revenue with a sight, sound, and motion product. Because radio listeners are already accustomed to hearing commercials, the present system imposes no additional modality changes to the ordinary listener experience. Other advantages of the system are that each affiliate has a measured audience reaching a targeted demographic, the platform is completely mobile, and any advertising that is sold is unrelated to search engines (i.e., it provides a potential new revenue stream).

(6) In a presently preferred embodiment, the system includes (1) the addition of a second library for each radio station consisting of a file server which contains a digital copy of a music video for each song in the music library, (2) software to link each song in the music library to a video in the video library, and (3) software to allow the audio file from the music library to synchronize with the corresponding video file from the video library so as to allow both the audio file and the video file to be streamed at the same time.

(7) FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the wired internet network system 10. System 10 includes an over-the-air radio stream such as FM audio stream 12 which is post produced in the audio relay switch 14. This audio input 12 will be muted upon the event of a commercial break or such events that are not wanted to be internet broadcast by way of a command in the automation system. Videos, replacement videos and commercials are stored on the local hard drive of the video server 16. Videos are called upon and placed into the play list by a daily schedule of the on air automation system. Selected video commercials and audio will replace on air commercials and breaks via event relays. A replacement audio stream 18 can be used in place of the FM audio stream 12 for such purposes.

(8) Video server 16 outputs composite video 20 which is directed to video switch 22. A second video source 24 can also be inputted to video switch 22. This second video input could include video from a webcam in the FM studio or live remotes. The output 26 from video switch 22 is directed to a video/audio capture hardware device 28 which also receives the output 30 from the audio relay switch 14. The video/audio capture hardware 28 receives the audio input from the FM air studio, post processed in the audio relay switch 14. Audio 30 from the FM studio will be muted upon the event of a commercial break where such events that are not wanted to be internet broadcast.

(9) Output 32 from the video/audio capture hardware is directed to an encoding computer 34 which takes the audio and video input from the capture card in the capture hardware 28. Commercial grade video streaming software is installed in encoding computer 34 and compiles and compresses the video with synched audio into an internet media stream 36. Preferably, encoding computer 34 should be no less than AMD dual cord 5200 processor with 4 gigabytes RAM memory. The output 36 from encoding computer 30 is presented to the radio station's website 38 which will have an embedded media player that will open in a new fixed size window upon a user clicking on a streaming video link. Several links will be provided for use of viewing on multimedia devices such as cell phones and PDA's 40, cable TV 42 and home internet use 44.

(10) FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of the system 10. FM studio audio 12 and output from video server 16 are directed to audio relay switch 14 which processes and synchronizes the signals to encoder input video/audio device 28. Encoding computer 34 compiles and compresses the video with synched audio which is delivered to portable devices 40 presented on website 38 and accessible to home internet users 44.

(11) In an alternative embodiment, a central repository, such as a publicly or privately accessible website library, is used to hold all videos and commercials rather than video server 16. The repository streams the video or commercial to the individual station in response to a query request from that station. This embodiment eases the burden on the local station to develop, collect and/or maintain a separately housed video library and further permits the delivery of uniform video content from a network to its affiliates. The delivery of uniform video content makes it easier for the network to deliver its own commercials on the Internet stream of the affiliate.

(12) Specific methods and compositions described herein are representative of preferred embodiments and are exemplary and not intended as limitations on the scope of the invention. Other objects, aspects, and embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of this specification, and are encompassed within the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the claims. Where examples are given, the description shall be construed to include but not to be limited to only those examples. It will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that varying substitutions and modifications may be made to the invention disclosed herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, and from the description of the inventions, including those illustratively set forth herein, it is manifest that various modifications and equivalents can be used to implement the concepts of the present invention without departing from its scope. A person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that changes can be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.