Content injection system and methodology
09955189 ยท 2018-04-24
Assignee
Inventors
- Michael J. King (Camas, WA, US)
- John W. Morris (Washougal, WA, US)
- Brian S. Bosworth (Edgewater, MD, US)
Cpc classification
H04N21/23424
ELECTRICITY
H04N21/23
ELECTRICITY
H04H20/24
ELECTRICITY
H04H60/76
ELECTRICITY
International classification
H04N21/234
ELECTRICITY
H04H60/76
ELECTRICITY
H04H60/06
ELECTRICITY
H04H20/10
ELECTRICITY
H04N21/23
ELECTRICITY
Abstract
A method, and an associated system, for sending to a first group of recipients only the content portions of a continuity source data-flow which takes the form of ordered, successive, alternating content and non-content segments. From a methodologic point of view, the invention involves, in a manner which utilizes content-segment material buffering, delivering fully, and in correct order, to the first recipient group the material in each content segment, via steps including (a) bridging each gap between next-adjacent content segments at least partially with transmitted injection material that differs from the non-content segment material in the gap, which injection material ends in time no sooner than the end of the gap, and (b) employing, as needed, and as a part of such full delivering of content-segment material, time-progressive, time-length-variable buffering, and subsequent, progressive buffer-delivering, of any content-segment material which overlaps in time with the transmission of injection material.
Claims
1. A method of operating a system including a processor and at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium communicatively coupled with the processor, the method comprising: receiving a broadcast source data flow which is for broadcast to a broadcast audience of a plurality of broadcast receivers, and which comprises a plurality of content segments interspersed with a plurality of non-content segments, the content segments consisting of one or more sections of content material, and the non-content segments consisting of one or more sections of non-content material; selecting a plurality of replacement sections of non-content material to replace one or more of the sections of non-content material of the non-content segments; streaming as a stream the content segments of the broadcast and a plurality of replacement non-content segments interspersed with the content segments for an online audience of at least a plurality of streaming receivers; when streaming the replacement non-content segments for the online audience, recognizing that a next one of the content segments is going to begin in the broadcast source data flow; in response to recognizing that the next one of the content segments is going to begin, storing to a memory device any portions of the next one of the content segments of the broadcast source data flow which overlap with the replacement non-content segment still being streamed for the online audience; for each of the replacement non-content segments streamed, detecting an end of the replacement non-content segment; and in response to both recognizing that the next one of the content segments is going to begin in the broadcast source data flow and detecting the end of the replacement non-content segment, providing the stored portions of the content segments from the memory device for streaming to the streaming audience, and wherein a duration of the replacement sections of non-content material for each of the non-content segments at least equals a duration of the respective non-content segment as reduced by any portion of the stored content segment provided into the respective non-content segment, and the duration of the replacement sections of non-content material for at least one of the non-content segments is greater than the duration of the respective non-content segment as reduced by any portion of the stored content segment provided into the respective non-content segment.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing the stored portions of the content segments from the memory device for the streaming to the streaming audience occurs while storing further portions of the content segments to the memory device.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting a plurality of replacement sections of non-content materials to replace one or more of the sections of the non-content materials of the non-content segments includes selecting at least one advertisement and at least one section of non-content material that is not an advertisement as the replacement sections of non-content material to replace the sections of non-content material of one of the non-content segments.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting a plurality of replacement sections of non-content materials to replace one or more of the sections of the non-content materials of the non-content segments includes selecting at least two advertisements to replace the sections of non-content material of one of the non-content segments.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the streaming of the replacement non-content material is started without an exact knowledge of the duration of the respective non-content segment which the one or more replacement sections of non-content material is replacing.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: terrestrially broadcasting the broadcast source data flow to the plurality of broadcast receivers, and wherein the streaming includes streaming over at least one network to the plurality of streaming receivers at least some of which are remotely located.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: detecting a start of a respective one of the non-content segments in the broadcast source data flow; and detecting an end of a respective one of the non-content segments of the broadcast source data flow, and wherein: the providing the selected replacement sections of non-content material for respective non-content segments for the streaming to the streaming audience is in response to detecting the start of the non-content segments, and the storing to the memory device any portions of the content segments of the broadcast source data flow which overlap with the replacement non-content segment still being streamed is in response to detecting respective ones of the ends of the non-content segments.
8. A system, comprising: a processor; and at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium communicatively coupled with the processor which stores processor executable instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the processor to: receive a broadcast source data flow which is for broadcast to a broadcast audience of a plurality of broadcast receivers, and which comprises a plurality of content segments interspersed with a plurality of non-content segments, the content segments consisting of one or more sections of content material, and the non-content segments consisting of one or more sections of non-content material; select a plurality of replacement sections of non-content material to replace one or more of the sections of non-content material of the non-content segments; stream as a stream the content segments of the broadcast and a plurality of replacement non-content segments interspersed with the content segments for an online audience of at least a plurality of streaming receivers; recognize that a next one of the content segments is going to begin in the broadcast source data flow while the replacement non-content segments are streamed for the online audience; storing to a memory device any portions of the next one of the content segments of the broadcast source data flow which overlap with the replacement non-content segment still being streamed for the online audience in response to recognizing that the next one of the content segments is going to begin; for each of the replacement content segments streamed, detect an end of the replacement content segment; and in response to both recognizing that the next one of the content segments is going to begin in the broadcast source data flow and detecting the end of the replacement non-content segment, providing the stored portions of the content segments from the memory device for streaming to the streaming audience, wherein a duration of the replacement sections of non-content material for each of the non-content segments at least equals a duration of the respective non-content segment as reduced by any portion of the stored content segment provided into the respective non-content segment, and the duration of the replacement sections of non-content material for at least one of the non-content segments is greater than the duration of the respective non-content segment as reduced by any portion of the stored content segment provided into the respective non-content segment.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein the provision of the stored portions of the content segments from the memory device for the streaming to the streaming audience occurs while storing further portions of the content segments to the memory device.
10. The system of claim 8 wherein selection of a plurality of replacement sections of non-content materials to replace one or more of the sections of the non-content materials of the non-content segments includes selection at least one advertisement and at least one section of non-content material that is not an advertisement as the replacement sections of non-content material to replace the sections of non-content material of one of the non-content segments.
11. The system of claim 8 wherein selection of a plurality of replacement sections of non-content materials to replace one or more of the sections of the non-content materials of the non-content segments includes selection of at least two advertisements to replace the sections of non-content material of one of the non-content segments.
12. The system of claim 8 wherein the instructions cause the processor to start to stream the replacement non-content material without an exact knowledge of the duration of the respective non-content segment which the replacement sections of non-content material replaces.
13. The system of claim 8, further comprising: a transmitter operable to terrestrially broadcast the broadcast source data flow to the plurality of broadcast receivers, and wherein the streaming includes a transmission over at least one network to the plurality of streaming receivers at least some of which are remotely located.
14. The system of claim 8 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to: detect a start of a respective one of the non-content segments in the broadcast source data flow; and detect an end of a respective one of the non-content segments of the broadcast source data flow, and wherein: the selected replacement sections of non-content material for respective non-content segments are provided for the streaming to the streaming audience in response to detection of the start of the non-content segments, and any portions of the content segments of the broadcast source data flow which overlap with the replacement non-content segment still being streamed are stored to the memory device in response to detection of respective ones of the ends of the non-content segments.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores processor executable instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to operate a system, by: receiving a broadcast source data flow which is for broadcast to a broadcast audience of a plurality of broadcast receivers, and which comprises a plurality of content segments interspersed with a plurality of non-content segments, the content segments consisting of one or more sections of content material, and the non-content segments consisting of one or more sections of non-content material; selecting a plurality of replacement sections of non-content material to replace one or more of the sections of non-content material of the non-content segments; streaming as a stream the content segments of the broadcast and a plurality of replacement non-content segments interspersed with the content segments for an online audience of at least a plurality of streaming receivers; when streaming the replacement non-content segments for the online audience, recognizing that a next one of the content segments is going to begin in the broadcast source data flow; in response to recognizing that the next one of the content segments is going to begin, storing to a memory device any portions of the next one of the content segments of the broadcast source data flow which overlap with the replacement non-content segment still being streamed for the online audience; for each of the replacement non-content segments streamed, detecting an end of the replacement non-content segment; and in response to both recognizing that the next one of the content segments is going to begin in the broadcast source data flow and detecting the end of the replacement non-content segment, providing the stored portions of the content segments from the memory device for streaming to the streaming audience, and wherein a duration of the replacement sections of non-content material for each of the non-content segments at least equals a duration of the respective non-content segment as reduced by any portion of the stored content segment provided into the respective non-content segment, and the duration of the replacement sections of non-content material for at least one of the non-content segments is greater than the duration of the respective non-content segment as reduced by any portion of the stored content segment provided into the respective non-content segment.
16. The nontransitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the providing the stored portions of the content segments from the memory device for the streaming to the streaming audience occurs while storing further portions of the content segments to the memory device.
17. The nontransitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein selecting a plurality of replacement sections of non-content materials to replace one or more of the sections of the non-content materials of the non-content segments includes selecting at least one advertisement and at least one section of non-content material that is not an advertisement as the replacement sections of non-content material to replace the sections of non-content material of one of the non-content segments.
18. The nontransitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein selecting a plurality of replacement sections of non-content materials to replace one or more of the sections of the non-content materials of the non-content segments includes selecting at least two advertisements to replace the sections of non-content material of one of the non-content segments.
19. The nontransitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the streaming of the replacement non-content material is started without an exact knowledge of the duration of the respective non-content segment which the one or more replacement sections of non-content material is replacing.
20. The nontransitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the instruction cause the processor to operate the system, further by: terrestrially broadcasting the broadcast source data flow to the plurality of broadcast receivers, and wherein the streaming includes streaming over at least one network to the plurality of streaming receivers at least some of which are remotely located.
21. The nontransitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the instruction cause the processor to operate the system, further by: detecting a start of a respective one of the non-content segments in the broadcast source data flow; and detecting an end of a respective one of the non-content segments of the broadcast source data flow, and wherein: the providing the selected replacement sections of non-content material for respective non-content segments for the streaming to the streaming audience is in response to detecting the start of the non-content segments, and the storing to the memory device any portions of the content segments of the broadcast source data flow which overlap with the replacement non-content segment still being streamed is in response to detecting respective ones of the ends of the non-content segments.
Description
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1)
(2)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(3) Turning attention now to the drawings, and referring to both
(4)
(5) Accordingly, and in order to carry out the functionality of the invention, system 12 includes appropriately cooperatively connected blocks 20, 22, 24 which are disposed operatively, as illustrated, intermediate source data flow 14 and streaming audience 16.
(6) To the extent that structures of blocks 20, 22, 24 incorporate and utilize hardware, firmware, software, etc., these components which make up the three blocks are individually entirely conventional in nature, may be organized to perform in accordance with practice of the present invention in a number of different ways within the skill levels of those generally skilled in the relevant art, and accordingly, are not detailed herein. Put another way, those skilled in the art, reading the schematic illustration of
(7) The manners of cooperative operations which take place within the blocks representing system 12 in
(8) Descriptions which now follow regarding the systemic and methodologic behaviors of the invention will proceed on the assumption that radio station 10 has just begun to broadcast a data flow (source block 14) which includes alternating content and non-content segments as described earlier herein, and begins that broadcasting activity, for the purpose of what is illustrated in
(9) One further note to be made with respect to the operation now about to be described respecting timing detail is that broadcast audience 18 is, and will be, completely unaware of the behavior of system 12 with regard to information that sent to streaming audience 16. Broadcast audience 18 will receive the full and unaltered broadcast data flow coming from source 14 in radio station 10.
(10) The description which now follows of what is shown in
(11) As illustrated in
(12) When the first 6.5-minute ad break come about, as is indicated by point 28 in
(13) As one progresses to the right in
(14) Thus, and as just described, at the onset of the first ad break marked at 28 in
(15) Right after the audience division point marked in
(16) In this audience-separation event which has just been described and illustrated, the reason that the streaming audience immediately begins to hear injection-content material delivered from repository 22 is that, in the illustration so far given, no content-segment material from source 14 has yet been buffered by buffer 24.
(17) In the specific illustration now being given, we have made the assumption that the ad break is one which has an exact duration of 6.5-minutes. In this context, we will assume further that radio station 10 currently does not have an exactly matching 6.5-minutes in alternative injection content material, such as appropriately deliverable (i.e., permissibly streamable) ad material, and available song material, poised to send to the streaming audience. This turns out not to be any problem at all. For, as will be seen, the present invention handily, and elegantly, ignores this potentially troublesome time mismatch situation via implementing a unique, and highly and flexibly variable, time-shifting process which offers a remarkably acceptable solutiona solution which by-passes all concern regarding precision time alignment.
(18) Explaining the nature of this solution now, and presenting here one representative example, we will assume, realistically, that station 10 and system 12 are in fact currently ready selectively to deliver a certain, less-than-6.5-minute amount of alternative, streamable advertising material, and additionally, a small collection of songs, which can be presented as added together (i.e., linked in time) collectively to exceed the sum of 6.5-minutes (i.e., the length of the source ad-break time) in order successfully and seamlessly to bridge the gap between source content-material segments created by the source ad break.
(19) Continuing, a very specific illustration here might be that station 10 has currently available two 0.5-minute alternative content ads which, utilizing system 12, it chooses to play out initially and successively during the source ad break period of time now when injection content is to be delivered to the streaming audience. Additionally, station 10 and system 12 also have readily available, and determine thereafter to make available for use, as needed to bridge the currently occurring 6.5-minute source ad break, songs from a collection of songs held in repository 22, such as an initially chooseable pair of songs including a first, 3.42-minute song, followed by a second, 3.12-minute song. These four, initially available, injection-content entities collectively add together to form a block of streaming injection material having a length of 7.54-minutesan amount which is entirely adequate to bridge the time length of the current source ad break.
(20) It is important to note, here, that system 12 does not need to know in advance the actual length of a non-content break in the source data flow, because of the fact that block 20 in the system carefully monitors such a break, noting both its beginning and its ending. If a particular piece of injection material happens to end before the monitored and noted end of the relevant triggering source ad break, system 20 simply continues to draw injection material as needed from repository 22. Preferably, although not necessarily, system 12 will know in advance the respective time lengths of each available piece of injection material. Any suitable and conventional system control technique may be employed to accomplish this. Alternatively, system 12 may be suitably constructed, in an otherwise conventional fashion, to note, on-the fly, the time ends of such materials.
(21) When, in the illustration now being given, the end the of the first ad break from source 14 takes place, such end being marked at 32 in
(22) After the elapse of the just mentioned 1.04-minutes, the streaming audience is effectively ready to be rejoined to the source broadcast flow, with such a rejoinder occurring operatively through buffer 24. Accordingly, continuous time-shift buffering, and resumed streaming delivery of source content-segment material, now take place, with content-segment material delivery to audience 16 beginning with the just previously buffered 1.04-minutes of overlap content material. Thus, and as is very clearly indicated by curved arrows that are presented in
(23) When the next 6.5-minute non-content ad break occurs in source-14 material as indicated at 34 in
(24) Station 10 and system 12, for illustration purposes, now play out a single 0.5-minute alternative advertisement suitable for delivery to the streaming audience, followed by the successive playing out of two songs from repository 22. The first of these songs lasts for 2.25-minutes, and the second song lasts for 3.08-minutes.
(25) With this injection behavior under way, and recognizing that the mentioned single alternative advertisement, and the two following injection songs, will be played out in their respective entireties so as to create a seamless experience for the streaming audience, an end-of-source-ad-break monitor/trigger signal, generated by system block 20, will occur at 36 in
(26) Once comes the end of the second song that has just been delivered to the streaming audience in this second-described injection time period, the streaming audience will once again effectively be connected, and again through operation of buffer 24, to the broadcast source to receive a seamless continuation of the main content segment material, but now with a time delay therein of only 0.64-minutes.
(27) Thus, the streaming audience under all circumstances, with the operation of system 12, will hear all of the principal content segment material coming from source 14, and will hear it in proper order, just as does the broadcast audience, but it will not hear any of the non-streamable, non-content advertisement material delivered by source 14.
(28) Accordingly, a unique audience-splitting information-delivery system and methodology have now been illustrated and described. The system of the inventionits structureis plainly set forth in
(29) Broadly speaking, and from a structural point of view, the invention can be described as a system which is operatively interposable a data-flow source and a selected data-flow recipient group, operable, through establishing controlled connections and disconnections between such a source and the recipient group, to send to the group, over time, only the content-segment portions of a source data flow which is characterized by alternating, content and non-content segments, with the times of the non-sending of non-content-segment material being bridged by the alternative sending to the group, during and throughout a system-controlled injection time period, of at least selected injection-content material which differs from source-delivered non-content material.
(30) The elements of this system include (a) a repository of injection-content material, (b) a data buffer operatively interposed the source and the recipient group, capable of buffering source content-segment material, and of later delivering such buffered material to the group, and possessing a continuous propensity to clear all buffered material, and (c) monitoring structure operatively connected to the source, to the repository, and to the buffer, operable to monitor the occurrences of non-content segment material coming from the source, and to produce, and to supply to the repository and to the buffer, in relation to such monitored occurrences, and for each such occurrence, control signaling which (1) effects/maintains, as appropriate, a direct disconnection between the source and the group, (2) the sending to the group, to fill an injection time period, of a linked combination of any source content-segment material then held by and deliverable from the buffer, followed by injection content material drawn from the repository, in a manner assuring the creation of an injection time period which extends at least to the conclusion of the most recent non-content segment occurrence, and (3) invokes buffering by the buffer of any source content-segment material delivered by the source during the period between the conclusion of the most recent non-content segment occurrence and the end of the current injection time period.
(31) The methodology of the invention may be described broadly as being a method for sending, over time, to a first group of recipients only the content portions of a continuity source data-flow which takes the form of ordered, successive, alternating content and non-content segments, including the steps of (a) in a manner which utilizes content-segment-material buffering, delivering fully, and in correct order, to the first recipient group the material in each content segment, (b) bridging each gap between next-adjacent content segments at least partially with transmitted injection material differing from the non-content segment material in the gap, which injection material ends in time no sooner than the end of the gap, and (c) employing, as needed, and as a part of the mentioned full delivering, time-progressive, time-length-variable buffering, and subsequent, progressive buffer-delivering, of any content-segment material which overlaps in time with the transmission of injection material.
(32) The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. All of the commonly assigned U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet, including but not limited to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/860,573, filed Nov. 21, 2006 and entitled CONTENT INJECTION SYSTEM AND METHODOLOGY, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/985,143, filed Nov. 13, 2007 and entitled CONTENT INJECTION SYSTEM AND METHODOLOGY; are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety. Aspects of the embodiments can be modified, if necessary, to employ systems, circuits and concepts of the various patents, applications and publications to provide yet further embodiments.
(33) In conclusion, while preferred and best mode structural and methodologic aspects/features of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, and certain variation possibilities suggested, we recognize that other variations and modifications may be appreciated by those generally skilled in the relevant art, and may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. And, in this context, we intend that all such other modifications and variations be treated as being fully a part of the present invention.