Patent ID: 6507764
Filing Date: 2003-01-14
Classification: G06Q,H04L,H04N

Abstract:
A network having a plurality of centrally controlled, customizable digital broadcast stations, wherein the network comprises:the plurality of digital broadcast stations, installed in one or more venues, capable of broadcasting any combination of music, videos, audible advertisements, and visual advertisements, wherein each broadcast station of the plurality of digital broadcast stations comprising a computer, a microphone, and one or more loudspeakers and wherein each broadcast station is operable to download and store programming; a program database that comprises programming containing all of the music, videos, audible advertisements, and visual advertisements available to be broadcast by one or more of the plurality of digital broadcast stations; a station demographic database that comprises one or more statistical profiles corresponding to the one or more venues in which the plurality of digital broadcast stations are installed; and a central controller operatively coupled to said plurality of digital broadcast stations, said program database and said station demographic database, wherein said central controller selectively controls content and scheduling of the programming broadcast by said plurality of digital broadcast stations in accordance with the one or more statistical profiles of the station demographic database corresponding to the one or more venues in which the plurality of digital broadcast stations are installed and wherein each digital broadcast station is operable to exercise selective local control in the playing of said content.