Patent Publication Number: US-2006003753-A1

Title: Method of Identifying Media Content Contemporaneous with Broadcast

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM  
      This invention claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/605,202 filed Sep. 15, 2003 entitled “Audio Content Distribution System” and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/521,400 filed Apr. 19, 2004 entitled “Audio Content Distribution System.” 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION  
      This invention relates to a system for identifying and distributing media content requested contemporaneously to the broadcast of the content.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Radio technology has proliferated for more than a century. In December 1894, Guglielmo Marconi invented his spark transmitter with antenna at his home in Bologna, Italy. He took his “Black Box” to Britain in February 1896 and filed for British Patent Number 12,039 on Jun. 2, 1896. He formed his first Wireless Telegraph and Signal Company in Britain in 1897 at age 23 and the world&#39;s first radio factory the following year. The American Marconi Company was formed in 1899. Marconi controlled patents for the Lodge tuner of 1900, and Fleming valve of 1904 that acted as a diode tube to amplify electrical current in one direction.  
      Through the following decades, radio experienced its “Golden Years” only to be eclipsed, but not replaced, by television. As the Internet evolved, it became clear it was a superior vehicle for delivering audio content to end users. To the dismay of copyright holders, peer-to-peer networks proliferated, enabling users to exchange high quality music outside the traditional distribution mediums. Industry groups representing the interests of the content creators have been forced to engage in heavy-handed tactics such as suing individual users that illegally exchanged copyrighted content online.  
      Even while the peer-to-peer networks were exchanging millions of songs daily, radio broadcasts continued to be an important medium for listeners and new technologies continued to evolve. Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio represent the radio industry&#39;s first major technological change since the popularization of FM radio in the 1970s: the creation of a third broadcast medium, transmitted by satellite, now taking its place alongside AM and FM on the radio dial. Satellite radio broadcasters transmit well over 100 discrete, radio channels to subscribers in digital sound.  
      A long-felt, but heretofore unfulfilled need exists in the radio and music industries for a technology that satisfies the way consumers enjoy music. Music listening may be divided into two main categories: (1) acquisition of new favorites; and (2) enjoyment of existing favorites. Radio broadcasting excels in the former category while peer-to-peer networks excel in the latter. Consumers listen to radio broadcasts to gain exposure to new music titles, particularly under the genre of the station. Once a consumer hears a music title they enjoy, they want to acquire it. Prior to music piracy on the Internet, the consumer would go to a music store and purchase the title. Even more recently, a user may now legally download a selection of titles available from authorized online distributors such as the “iTunes Music Store” offered by Apple Computer, Inc. However, a consumer listening to a traditional radio broadcast may not always obtain the necessary information to identify the music title. Furthermore, the consumer must engage in a substantial effort to obtain the music title by visiting a music store, logging into an online system to legally purchase the content or even engaging in illegal file sharing to download the content.  
      What is needed in the art is a system that enables consumers to contemporaneously purchase music heard over radio broadcasts and have the content delivered to them automatically.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 6,563,805 to Ma et al. describes a device for prepaid recording of digital audio signals. The patent describes a method wherein encrypted music is sent to a receiver which prevents recording of the audio content (col. 2, lines 16-24). The receiver holds a “Smartcard” which keeps track of the user&#39;s account balance (co. 2, lines 24-26). If the balance in the account is sufficient the encrypted data is decrypted by the receiver and can then be recorded by the user (col. 2, lines 26-31).  
      International Publication No. WO 00/31906 and related European Patent Application No. 99119395.4 to Sony Electronic, Inc., hereinafter the &#39;906 application, describe a method and system for interactive digital radio broadcasting and a method and device for transmitting, receiving, and transferring said digital information, respectively. The &#39;906 application describes a method and system wherein contextual information is broadcast along with the audio content (col. 4, lines 6-11). The contextual and audio content are then parsed and made available to the user (col. 4, lines 12-18). Additionally, a memory card is used to store the contextual information for later retrieval to facilitate ordering or recording of the audio content (col. 4, lines 32-35). This method requires the coupling of the audio content and additional information in the data stream.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 6,564,003 to Marko et al. describes a method and apparatus for creating a composite data stream containing multiple channels of content. The &#39;003 method as described allows a user to record the entire data stream and select the desired content through an apparatus which de-multiplexes the data by accessing the header information which identifies where in the composite stream the desired content resides (col. 3, lines 1-5).  
      U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,216 to Marko et al. describes a method for providing geographic specific services via a satellite communication network. The system uses a terrestrial transponder which sends a signal containing identification information (col. 2, lines 25-30). The satellite then recognizes the signal and transmits predetermined geographic-specific content to the corresponding receiver (col. 2, lines 35-49).  
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
      The present invention is a method of identifying an individual piece of media content substantially contemporaneously with the broadcast of the content. The content may be audio or video. Video content may include, but is not limited to, music videos, movies, documentaries, sitcoms, reality television, commercials, news broadcasts. Audio content may include, but is not limited to music, comedy, news, documentaries, commercials and call-in shows. The video may be broadcast on broadcast television, satellite television and cable television. The audio may be broadcast on terrestrial radio, satellite radio, satellite television and cable television.  
      A media broadcast database is provided whereby media content is identified by an automated software process. In some cases the automated software process may be manually programmed to store the broadcast times and content for each channel or station delivering the media content.  
      Alternatively, the automated software process may detect and identify the media content from a library of preexisting content. For example, Audible Magic of Los Gatos, Calif. provides audio fingerprinting technology that can identify over 3.5 million recorded songs as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,223, the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference. Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems (BDS) operates in the U.S. and Canada as the world&#39;s leading provider of over-the-air music monitoring. Using pattern recognition technology, BDS can identify more than one million songs played on more than 1,100 radio stations in real time in 130 markets throughout the U.S. As a radio station plays a song, BDS technology identifies the song and logs the exact time, date, and station for that play. Shazam Entertainment Ltd out of London provides song detection technology that operates through a mobile device. However, it requires the execution of pattern recognition technology for each user request.  
      A request is received for the individual piece of media content substantially contemporaneous with its broadcast. The request identifies who is making the request and what station the requestor is exposed to (i.e., either listening or viewing). The identity of the requestor forms a requestor identity field. Determining the requestor identity field may be accomplished by a number of mechanisms. In one embodiment of the invention, the requestor initiates the process by dialing a telephone number. A caller identification string (CID) is generated establishing the identity of the caller. The CID data may be queried against a preexisting requestor table to determine the biographical information on the requestor including, but not limited to, name, address, age, locale, telephone number, email address, SMS address, prior request history and the like. Alternatives to CID data include prompting for touch tone entry on the telephone (DTMF signals) or prompting for speech which is then recognized by a software process.  
      In one embodiment of the invention, a system may be implemented to only handle requests for a single station. Thus, all that is required is the identity of the requester. However, in an anticipated embodiment of the invention, requests that may encompass a plurality of stations are handled. Dialed number identification service (DNIS) is a telephone service that identifies for the receiver of a call the number that the caller dialed. DNIS is commonly used on toll-free lines. Multiple toll-free lines may point to the same destination and DNIS tells which number was called. Accordingly, in the present invention, a unique telephone for each station is established. DNIS passes DTMF signals to the system to determine which station the requestor desires. This is particularly advantageous for cell phone users since nearly all cellular phones have an address book of preexisting numbers. Many cell phones accommodate voice-activated dialing. Thus, if a requestor regularly listens to 93.3 WFLZ out of Tampa, Fla., the requestor would program in the station&#39;s toll-free request line into their telephone. Upon hearing the song they want, they simply “speed-dial” the number. Their identity is automatically authenticated via the CID data and the DNIS data indicates that the station requested was 93.3. Thus, all that is required is for the telephone to be dialed. No user intervention is necessary beyond making the telephone connection.  
      This embodiment includes the steps of establishing the requestor identity field by CID data, establishing the station field by DNIS data whereby a caller dials a predetermined number associated with a station broadcasting the music recording as it is played, CID data identifies and authenticates the caller and DNIS data determines which station the caller was listening to at the time of the call wherein no caller intervention is required to process the request other than dialing the predetermined number.  
      On some systems, CID data may not be available. Accordingly, the requestor may need to key in his or her identity by DTMF or by speech. The identity may be a PIN, telephone number or user ID. It is preferred that the identity be associated with an integer value. If the CID data is not ascertainable, then the system prompts the user for the CID data or some other requestor identity value. In the event that telephone numbers are not uniquely assigned to stations and channels, then the user may be prompted to enter, either by DTMF or by speech, the station identifier. An interactive voice response system (IVR) may be established to obtain the station field. Systems like Nielsen&#39;s BDS monitor well over one thousand channels in real time. Accordingly, there are stations with identical frequencies in different locations. For example, there are at least twenty stations across the United States using the 93.3 frequency. Accordingly, an embodiment of the invention is to associate the CID data with a locale. A metro station area array is associated with the locale and a subset of the entire plurality of stations available is grouped within the metro station area array. The IVR system automatically configures its activity in anticipation that the station field will be extracted from the subset of the plurality of stations within the metro station area. Thus, if the CID information indicates the call is originating from the Tampa Bay area in Florida, the IVR system will assume that a user that keys in 933 on a touch tone phone or speaks “ninety three point three” wants the content playing on 93.3 WFLZ out of Tampa and not 93.3 KUBE out of Seattle, Wash. Another advantage of localizing the CID information is that local advertisers may participate in delivering their message to the requester.  
      As the request is initiated in real-time, the incoming system generates a timestamp value associated with the time the request was received. The broadcast database is queried using the channel field (the station identification) and the timestamp value to identify the content. The query results are returned to a destination associated with the requestor identity field. The destination may include an simple mail transport protocol (SMTP) email address, a simple messaging service (SMS) address, a software-accessible store, a compact disc processing entity, a cellular device, a portable digital music player, a land-line telephone, a fax machine or a set-top cable device. The query results may include the identity of the content such as content title and performer. In addition, the query results may contain a digital reproduction of the content itself.  
      Query results that are delivered by SMTP email may include links to purchase or secure the media content. SMS would typically only provide the identity of the content since attachments on SMS are not readily available on most SMS-capable devices. A client-side software application may run in the background on the requestor&#39;s personal computer whereby the media content is downloaded to the computer using the client-side software application responsive to a request. The query results trigger an event on the client-side computing device to automatically obtain the individual piece of media content.  
      Multiple requests may be queued up until sufficient content exists to burn it onto a music CD, data CD, music DVD, video DVD or data DVD. Demographic information determined from preexisting data on the requestor, from the requestor&#39;s CID information, or simply from the content requested may be incorporated into the disc thereby providing targeted advertising to the requestor.  
      At least one embodiment of the invention anticipates a method of doing business whereby the targeted advertising subsidizes the cost to the requestor, if not providing the service for free. Thus, advertisers are able to provide information on their products and services with more precision and consumers are able to obtain the media content they desire for minimal or no cost. Another advantage of this method is that consumers are likely to replay the content multiple times, thus re-exposing the consumer to the advertisers&#39; messages.  
      Individual pieces of media content are categorized according to a content profile. An advertising presentation associated with the content profile is established and the advertising presentation is included with the query results according to the content profile of the individual piece of media content identified. In another embodiment broadcast channels are categorized according to a format profile. An advertising presentation is associated with the format profile included with the query results according to the format profile of the individual piece of media content identified.  
      Demographic information may be obtained on a requestor associated with the requestor identity field and a plurality of advertising presentations are categorized according to demographic information. An advertising presentation is selected according to the demographic information of the requestor and included with the query results according to the requestor identity field associated with the requestor. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of the invention showing a single request for media content.  
       FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of the invention showing multiple requests for media content placed into a request queue and executed on a predetermined time schedule.  
       FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of the invention showing multiple requests for media content placed into a request queue and executed responsive to the identification of the media content by an automated software process.  
       FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of the invention wherein advertising content is selected responsive to a plurality of variables including requester demographics, the channel the requester was exposed to, the broadcast time of the content and the identity of the content itself.  
       FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of the invention wherein CID and DNIS data from incoming telephone requests correlate to requestor identity fields and channel fields respectively.  
       FIG. 6  is a screen shot of a login interface for configuring an embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 7  is a screen shot of a user menu interface listing FM and Satellite/Network stations listened to by the requestor.  
       FIG. 8  is a screen shot of a search interface for finding various stations in different areas and broadcast mediums.  
       FIG. 9  is a screen shot of a user registration process according to an embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 10  is a screen shot of a background software process event log according to an embodiment of the invention utilizing CID requestor identification and DTMF station selection.  
       FIG. 11  is a screen shot of a request queue according to an embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 12  is a screen shot of an email delivery of music content information with a link to purchase the content from a third party source. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF INVENTION  
      In  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of the invention is denoted generally as numeral  10 . Request for media content  20  is executed containing channel field  30  and requester identity field  40 . Channel field  30  may be associated with the channels on a cable television or the stations on a FM radio. Requestor identity field  40  may be any key value to associate the request with an end user or subscriber. Requestor identity field  40  is preferably a primary key integer value from which relevant data is extracted by a table lookup. However, other types of unique values such as telephone numbers or email addresses may be used for requester identity field  40 .  
      Automated software process  50  monitors broadcast mediums to determine when identifiable content is broadcast on a particular channel or station and when it was initiated. It should be noted that automated software process  50  may be a background service that extracts manually entered data relating to broadcast schedules and is not restricted to content “fingerprinting” where a portion of the broadcast is sampled and compared against preexisting records. Automated software process  50  provides media content broadcast data  60  to media broadcast database  70 . Media content broadcast data  60  includes the channel or station that broadcast the media content, the time in which it was broadcast and an identification of the content.  
      Database query  80  is executed against media broadcast database  70  according to channel field  30  and requestor identity field  40 . Database query  80  automatically inserts a timestamp value upon receipt of the request and compares the timestamp value against the broadcast time in media content broadcast data  60 . Query results  90  are produced and sent to destination  100  determined by requestor identity field  40 .  
       FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of the invention adapted to handle a plurality of concurrent requests  20   a - 20   c  which are stored in request queue  110 . In the case of media content fingerprinting, time delay  120  exists between actual start of broadcast of media content  130  and identification of broadcast of media content  140 . The difference between actual start  130  and identification  140  produces software latency value  150 . If query  80  is executed before automated software process  50  can identify the media content, then query results  90  will produce no records. Accordingly, the present invention provides a timer event  160  which fires then resets upon a lapse of software latency value  150  time associated with time delay  120 . Request queue event  170  fires responsive to timer event  160  and executes request queue query  180  which returns all pending requests at least as old as time delay  120  embodied in software latency value  150 . Database query  80  is then executed for all pending requests returned by request queue query  180 . Pending requests that are successfully executed against database query  80  are marked completed by an update command.  
      In  FIG. 3 , an alternative embodiment of the invention is provided. In some cases, a request for media content  20  is received before the media content is identified by automated software process  50 . Rather than queue up all pending requests until a predetermined time period passes (i.e., time delay  120 ), identification of broadcast  140  returns a call  190  to request queue event  170 . Thus, as soon as the media content is identified, all preexisting requests are processed. However, in other cases, requests  20  are received after call  190  and therefore should be processed according to the workflow of  FIG. 2 .  
      In  FIG. 4 , channel field  30 , requester identity field  40 , broadcast time and content identification (collectively  60 ) determine advertising content  190  attached to query results  90 . Channel field  30  may provide demographic information on the requester. For example, advertising for a concert featuring country singers would be more likely successful on a requestor that listens to a country music station over another requestor that listens to jazz music. Request identity field  40  may provide detailed information on the address, occupation, and preferences of the requester. Request identity field  40  is linked to a requestor subscriber record which stores, among other fields, destination  100 . Content identification  60  may provide information to better help select advertising content  190  whereby a listener of pop music may be more likely to purchase an album by another pop artist. Even broadcast time may help determine appropriate advertising content  190 . Requests made late at time might be presumably made by adults wherein day-time requests may presumably include both adults and children.  
      An authentication scheme is provided in  FIG. 5  wherein telephone request  200  transmits both CID and DNIS information. For each station or channel, a separate incoming telephone number is provided. CID data is cross-referenced to requestor identity field  40 . DNIS is cross-referenced to channel field  30 . No user input is required. The requestor&#39;s identity is automatically verified by CID. Requestor&#39;s selection of channel or station is automatically determined by DNIS. Thus, rather than requiring requestor to depress tone-tone keys or speak out loud the station or channel identity, the mere act of dialing a determined number provided all the information needed. The authentication scheme is particularly appropriate for telephones that have speed dial memory and/or address books. Requestors need only find the appropriate phone number for the station they hear and then dial that number.  
       FIGS. 6-9  illustrate a web-based user interface for setting up a requestor&#39;s account.  FIG. 6  shows a login screen. Requestor telephone number  210  may be used as primary identity field  40 . An advantage of this method is that the authentication scheme of  FIG. 5  may be easily deployed. Requestor PIN  220  is provided for security purposes. Preferably, an integer-restricted PIN is utilized in the event it must be keyed into a touch-tone telephone for authentication purposes. In  FIG. 7 , FM favorites  230  are enumerated by frequency, call sign and city. An advantage of establishing favorites is that IVR systems that intake requests may be automatically configured to those favorites. For example, there are at least twenty FM radio stations in the United Stations that broadcast under the 93.3 frequency. Since requestor is primarily in one locale, only station, 93.3 WFLZ out of Tampa, is included on FM favorites. When prompted for the identity of the station or channel, requestor does not need to designation which of the twenty 93.3 frequency stations is the selection. Rather, the IVR system defaults to FM favorites  230 . In addition to FM favorites  230 , Satellite/Network favorites  240  may also be provided.  
       FIG. 8  illustrates search mechanism  250  for finding stations or channels of interest. Search mechanism  250  returns station call letters  260 , network identity  270 , station description  280  and favorites add selection  290 . In  FIG. 9  requestor name  300 , requester telephone  210 , requestor PIN  220 , requester email  310 , requestor SMS  320  and requestor metro area  330  are editable and stored via the web-based interface.  
       FIG. 10  is background software process event log  340  according to an embodiment of the invention utilizing CID requestor identification and DTMF station selection. Incoming call connect  350  establishes a communications pathway. CID detection  360  determines requestors telephone number  210  which authenticates the identity of requestor and brings up requestor&#39;s FM favorites  230 . DTMF array for frequency ID  370  is received indicating the station selection starts with the integers “9” and “5.” As the only station frequency that matches “95” is WBTP out of Clearwater on requestor&#39;s FM favorites  230 , WBTP is the presumptive station and processing may continue automatically. Alternatively, requestor may issue DTMF frequency ID send command  380  to select a station. In the event requestor selected “97” a prompt would generate warning requester that two stations in FM favorites  230  start with “97,” namely 97.9 WXTB and 97.1 WSUN. Requestor would have to key in “979” for WXTB or “971” for WSUN, the decimal points being ignored. Once the desired station is requested DTMF station confirmation command  390  completes the transaction sending requestor&#39;s selections to request queue  110 . Timer initiation  400  is executed and set at software latency value  150 . Call disconnect  410  is executed. As noted from the timestamps on the left margin, the incoming call was connected at 7:23:50 AM and completed at 7:24:02 AM. Thus, the entire transaction took twelve seconds. Time delay  120  for automated software process  50  in this example is predetermined to be five minutes. Thus, at 7:28:58 AM, station ID  420  and requester timestamp value  430  are queried against media broadcast database  70 . Query results  90  are returned and destination  100  is set to be request email  310 . Transmission to destination  440  is executed.  
       FIG. 11  shows request queue  110  in a web-based display. Request queue status  450  is provided in columnar format.  FIG. 12  shows destination  100  as request email  310 . Information sent to designation  100  includes song title  460 , song recording artist  470 , song identification timestamp  480  and request timestamp  490 . Purchase link  500  is provided with a hyperlink dynamically constructed from song title  460  and song recording artist  470  to send requestor directly to the appropriate URL.  
     REFERENCE TABLE FOR DRAWINGS  
     
       
         
           
               
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 10 
                 The invention generally 
               
               
                 20 
                 Request for media content 
               
               
                 30 
                 Channel field 
               
               
                 40 
                 Requestor identity field 
               
               
                 50 
                 Automated software process to identify 
               
               
                   
                 media content 
               
               
                 60 
                 Media content broadcast data 
               
               
                 70 
                 Media broadcast database 
               
               
                 80 
                 Database query 
               
               
                 90 
                 Query results 
               
               
                 100 
                 Query result destination 
               
               
                 110 
                 Request queue 
               
               
                 120 
                 Time delay 
               
               
                 130 
                 Actual start of broadcast media content 
               
               
                 140 
                 Identification of broadcast media content 
               
               
                 150 
                 Software latency value 
               
               
                 160 
                 Timer event 
               
               
                 170 
                 Request queue event 
               
               
                 180 
                 Request queue query 
               
               
                 190 
                 Advertising content 
               
               
                 200 
                 Telephone request 
               
               
                 210 
                 Requestor telephone number 
               
               
                 220 
                 Requestor pin 
               
               
                 230 
                 FM favorites 
               
               
                 240 
                 Satellite/Network favorites 
               
               
                 250 
                 Search mechanism 
               
               
                 260 
                 Station call letters 
               
               
                 270 
                 Network identity 
               
               
                 280 
                 Station description 
               
               
                 290 
                 Favorites add selection 
               
               
                 300 
                 Requestor name 
               
               
                 310 
                 Requestor email 
               
               
                 320 
                 Requestor SMS 
               
               
                 330 
                 Requestor metro area 
               
               
                 340 
                 Event log 
               
               
                 350 
                 Incoming call connect 
               
               
                 360 
                 CID detection 
               
               
                 370 
                 DTMF array for frequency ID 
               
               
                 380 
                 DTMF frequency ID send command 
               
               
                 390 
                 DTMF station confirmation command 
               
               
                 400 
                 Timer initiation 
               
               
                 410 
                 Call disconnect 
               
               
                 420 
                 Call letter ID 
               
               
                 430 
                 Requestor timestamp value 
               
               
                 440 
                 Destination transmission 
               
               
                 450 
                 Request queue status 
               
               
                 460 
                 Song title 
               
               
                 470 
                 Song recording artist 
               
               
                 480 
                 Song identification timestamp 
               
               
                 490 
                 Request timestamp 
               
               
                 500 
                 Purchase link 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
      Definition List 1 
                                                   Term   Definition                          ANI   Automatic Number Identification is               a telephone network feature that               passes the number of the phone               the caller is using to the call               center, real-time. ANI is used by               long distance carriers.           CID   Caller Identification is a system by               which the calling-party number               (and sometimes the name and               called-number) is transmitted to               the called party. CID is used by               local telephone companies.           DNIS   Dialed Number Identification               Service is a telephone service that               identifies for the receiver of a call               the number that the caller dialed.           SMTP   Simple Mail Transfer Protocol is a               TCP/IP protocol used in sending               and receiving e-mail.