U.S. patent application number 13/485819 was filed with the patent office on 2012-12-06 for communication node for venue-oriented communications.
This patent application is currently assigned to Airborne Media Group. Invention is credited to Cordell Brown, Ryan Danford, Justin Ginn, Chip Lile.
Application Number | 20120308033 13/485819 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47261700 |
Filed Date | 2012-12-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120308033 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ginn; Justin ; et
al. |
December 6, 2012 |
COMMUNICATION NODE FOR VENUE-ORIENTED COMMUNICATIONS
Abstract
Methods and systems for providing a communication node for
venue-oriented communications are presented. An example system may
include a network interface, at least one processor, and memory
storing modules including instructions for execution by the
processor. The network interface may be communicatively coupled
with a wireless access device in communication with a mobile
communication device. The wireless access device and the mobile
communication device are located at a venue. At least one of the
modules provides a venue-oriented service to the mobile
communication device via the wireless access device.
Inventors: |
Ginn; Justin; (Durango,
CO) ; Danford; Ryan; (Durango, CO) ; Lile;
Chip; (Durango, CO) ; Brown; Cordell;
(Durango, CO) |
Assignee: |
Airborne Media Group
Durango
CO
|
Family ID: |
47261700 |
Appl. No.: |
13/485819 |
Filed: |
May 31, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61493194 |
Jun 3, 2011 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
381/77 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 21/42202 20130101;
H04N 21/8106 20130101; H04N 21/41415 20130101; H04N 21/4126
20130101; H04N 21/43637 20130101; H04N 21/482 20130101; H04N
21/4622 20130101; H04N 21/812 20130101; H04N 21/4788 20130101; H04N
21/25841 20130101; H04W 4/021 20130101; H04N 21/25866 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
381/77 |
International
Class: |
H04B 3/00 20060101
H04B003/00 |
Claims
1. A communication node comprising: a network interface to
communicatively couple the communication node with a wireless
access device, the wireless access device being in communication
with a mobile communication device, the wireless access device and
the mobile communication device located at a venue; at least one
processor; and a memory storing modules comprising instructions for
execution by the at least one processor, at least one of the
modules providing a venue-oriented service to the mobile
communication device via the wireless access device.
2. The communication node of claim 1, the at least one of the
modules comprising an audio distribution service module to
distribute, via the wireless access device, a plurality of audio
streams to a user of the mobile communication device, each of the
plurality of audio streams corresponding to video content being
presented to the user at the venue.
3. The communication node of claim 1, the at least one of the
modules comprising a commerce module to offer, via the wireless
access device, a product for purchase by a commercial entity
related to the venue to a user of the mobile communication
device.
4. The communication node of claim 3, the purchases comprising at
least one of point-of-sale transactions and mobile commerce
transactions.
5. The communication node of claim 1, the at least one of the
modules comprising a customer loyalty service module to provide a
user of the mobile communication device, via the wireless access
device, access to a customer loyalty program maintained by a
commercial entity associated with the venue.
6. The communication node of claim 1, the at least one of the
modules comprising a social network service module to provide a
user of the mobile communication device, via the wireless access
device, access to an external social network via an application
programming interface provided by the external social network.
7. The communication node of claim 1, the at least one of the
modules comprising a social network service module to provide a
user of the mobile communication device, via the wireless access
device, access to a social network associated with the venue.
8. The communication node of claim 7, the communication node to
receive at least one of a location and a current status of the user
from the mobile communication device via the wireless access
device, the communication node to forward the at least one of the
location and the current status of the user to other mobile
communication devices located at the venue via the wireless access
device.
9. The communication node of claim 1, the at least one of the
modules comprising a social network service module to provide a
user of the mobile communication device, via the wireless access
device, access to chat rooms associated with the venue.
10. The communication node of claim 1, the at least one of the
modules comprising a gaming service module to provide a user of the
mobile communication device, via the wireless access device, access
to a gaming service corresponding to a gaming establishment located
at the venue.
11. The communication node of claim 1, the at least one of the
modules comprising a gaming service module to provide a user of the
mobile communication device, via the wireless access device, access
to a gaming service corresponding to a commercial entity located at
the venue.
12. The communication node of claim 1, the modules comprising a
venue subscription module to maintain a subscription for a
commercial entity associated with the venue, the subscription
allowing the commercial entity to provide the venue-oriented
service to the user of the mobile communication device.
13. The communication node of claim 1, the modules further
comprising a user administration module to register the user of the
mobile communication device with the communication node, the
registering of the user comprising storing information identifying
the user.
14. The communication node of claim 13, the user administration
module to recognize the user of the mobile communication device
while the mobile communication device is coupled to a second
wireless access device located at a second venue communicatively
coupled with the communication node based on the information
identifying the user.
15. The communication node of claim 1, the modules comprising a
user analytics module to monitor connections of the mobile
communication device to the wireless access device.
16. The communication node of claim 15, the user analytics module
to determine a type of the venue-oriented service provided to the
user of the mobile communication device based on the monitoring of
the connections of the mobile communication device to the wireless
access device.
17. The communication node of claim 16, the user analytics module
to cause advertising to be directed to the mobile communication
device via the wireless access device based on the type of the
venue-oriented service provided to the user.
18. The communication node of claim 15, the user analytics module
to configure the wireless access device based on the monitoring of
the connections of the mobile communication device to the wireless
access device.
19. The communication node of claim 1, the modules comprising an
advertising subscription module to maintain a subscription of an
advertiser with the communication node, the advertising
subscription module allowing the advertiser to provide advertising
to the mobile communication device via the communication node and
the wireless access node.
20. The communication node of claim 19, the advertiser being a
commercial entity associated with the venue.
21. The communication node of claim 19, the advertiser being a
regional or national commercial entity not associated with the
venue.
22. The communication node of claim 1, the modules comprising an
advertising content module to receive advertising content from an
advertising subscriber of the communication node, to store the
advertising content, and to transmit the advertising content to the
mobile communication device via the wireless access device.
23. The communication node of claim 22, the advertising subscriber
comprising a commercial entity associated with the venue.
24. The communication node of claim 22, the advertising content
comprising an instruction to open a web page representing the
advertising subscriber in response to the user of the mobile
communication device activating the advertising content on the
mobile communication device.
25. The communication node of claim 1, the modules comprising an
advertising audience report module to generate a report including
information describing the user of the mobile communication device
and to provide the report to an advertiser subscribed to the
communication node.
26. The communication node of claim 25, the report including
information comprising at least one of demographic information,
personal interest information, survey response information, and
point-of-sale transaction information.
27. The communication node of claim 1, the modules comprising a
user session profile module to control access of the user to the
wireless access device and the communication node.
28. A method comprising: establishing a communication connection
with a wireless access device located at a venue, the wireless
access device in communication with a mobile communication device
located at the venue; transmitting information describing a service
related to the venue to the mobile communication device via the
wireless access device; receiving a reply to the information from
the wireless access device; establishing a secure connection with
the mobile communication device using the communication connection
in response to receiving the reply; and providing, using at least
one processor of a machine, the service to the mobile communication
device using the secure connection.
29. The method of claim 28, the service comprising at least one of
an audio-distribution service, a commercial service, and a social
networking service.
30. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising
instructions that, when executed by at least one process of a
machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
establishing a communication connection with a wireless access
device located at a venue, the wireless access device in
communication with a mobile communication device located at the
venue; transmitting information describing a service related to the
venue to the mobile communication device via the wireless access
device; receiving a reply to the information from the wireless
access device; establishing a secure connection with the mobile
communication device using the communication connection in response
to receiving the reply; and providing the service to the mobile
communication device using the secure connection.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 61/493,194, titled "SYSTEMS AND METHOD FOR
PROVIDING MULTIPLE AUDIO STREAMS IN A VENUE," filed Jun. 3, 2011,
and which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This application relates generally to venue-oriented
communications and, more specifically, to systems and methods for
providing one or more venue-oriented services, such as, for
example, the distribution of multiple audio streams.
BACKGROUND
[0003] On both satellite and cable television distribution systems,
numerous sports programs and events, as well as other audio/video
content of interest, may be transmitted and presented
simultaneously over different broadcast channels. Given the varying
interest of potential patrons, some public establishments, such as
bars, sports books, and the like, may provide multiple televisions,
video monitors, projection systems, and similar audio/video devices
to provide many different such programs concurrently for the
enjoyment of their clientele. Ordinarily, these devices are placed
in relatively close proximity to each other, or are placed in the
same large room, so any patron of the establishment may view any of
multiple video devices without changing locations within the
establishment.
[0004] However, given such an arrangement of the audio/video
devices within the establishment, allowing each of the audio/video
devices, or some related devices, to produce the audio for each
program being displayed is impractical due to the confusing, and
likely unintelligible, sounds that would result. To prevent such
confusion, in some situations the audio associated with a single
one of the programs being shown may be produced, such as the sound
associated with the most popular program or event being presented
in the establishment at the time. Additionally, in some cases, one
or more of the audio/video devices may be placed in a "closed
captioning mode," in which text reflecting the words spoken by
sports announcers or others associated with the program is
displayed on the screen to provide at least some reflection of the
program audio to the patrons viewing that program.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] Some embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not
limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in
which:
[0006] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example audio
distribution system including a plurality of converter devices and
an access device;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example converter
device implementable in the audio distribution system of FIG.
1;
[0008] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method of
operating the example converter device of FIG. 2;
[0009] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example access
device implementable in the audio distribution system of FIG.
1;
[0010] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method of
operating the example access device of FIG. 4;
[0011] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example mobile
communication device implementable in the audio distribution system
of FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating example modules
implementable as control logic for the example mobile communication
device of FIG. 6;
[0013] FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method of
operating the example mobile communication device of FIG. 6 to
establish a communication connection between the mobile
communication device and a wireless access device;
[0014] FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method of
operating the example mobile communication device of FIG. 6 to
provide a selected digital audio stream to a user;
[0015] FIG. 10 is a graphical representation of example information
provided on a display of an example mobile communication
device;
[0016] FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating at least one example
audio distribution system facilitating an example chat
communication between at least two mobile communication
devices;
[0017] FIG. 12 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method of
facilitating the connection of a mobile communication device with a
chat room;
[0018] FIG. 13 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method of
providing an example service to a mobile communication via an
example access device;
[0019] FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating example modules of
an example communication node portrayed in FIG. 1; and
[0020] FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the
example form of a computer system within which a set of
instructions for causing the machine to perform any one or more of
the methodologies discussed herein may be executed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0021] Example methods and systems for distribution of multiple
audio signals are discussed. In the following description, for
purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in
order to provide a thorough understanding of example embodiments.
It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art that the
present subject matter may be practiced without these specific
details. It will also be evident that the venues and environments
described herein in which audio signal distribution may occur are
not limited to the examples provided and may include other
scenarios not specifically discussed.
[0022] In accordance with an example embodiment, FIG. 1 illustrates
an audio distribution system 100. Generally, the audio distribution
system 100 is configured to provide multiple streams of audio
content to at least one mobile device 108. In an example, the audio
distribution system 100 may be located at a particular venue. In
some implementations, the venue 101 may be a public venue, such as
a restaurant, a drinking establishment, or a race and sports
"book." In such a venue, each of multiple audio/video output
devices 102, such as televisions, video monitors, video projectors,
and the like, may present one of a number of sporting events or
other audio/video programs to customers or viewers located at the
venue. To allow the patrons of the venue to receive the audio
portion being received by one of the output devices 102, the audio
distribution system 100 makes available the audio from the output
devices 102 to one or more mobile communication devices 108 held or
possessed by patrons of the establishment. Examples of the mobile
communication devices 108 include, but are not limited to, cellular
"smart" phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop
computers, and tablet computers. In some implementations, each of
the mobile communication devices 108 may be owned and operated by
its respective user, or may be loaned or rented by operators of the
venue 101 to the users.
[0023] In an example of the audio distribution system 100, each of
the audio/video output devices 102 generating an audio signal that
is desired to be distributed to users located at the venue 101 may
be communicatively coupled with a converter device 104 (or,
alternatively, an audio relay device 104), which may convert or
otherwise transfer or relay the audio signal from its corresponding
output device 102 to a digital audio stream 122. Each converter
device 104 may transmit its converted digital audio stream 122 to
one or more access devices 106. The access device 106 distributes
the received digital audio streams as one or more wireless digital
audio streams 124 to the mobile communication devices 108. In one
example, one or more of the converter devices 104 may be integrated
with each other, and/or with one or more of the access devices
106.
[0024] A user of each mobile communication device 108 may then
select one of the digital audio streams 122 represented in the
wireless digital audio stream 124 for reception and presentation at
the mobile communication device 108 of the user. The user may then
listen to the selected audio stream or channel, such as by way of a
speaker incorporated into the mobile communication device 108, an
earphone or headset connected to the mobile communication device
108, a Bluetooth.RTM.-enabled audio device communicatively coupled
with the mobile communication device 108, or the like. As a result,
each user possessing one of the mobile communication devices 108
may select and enjoy the audio portion of the audio/video content
presented by way of one of the output devices 102.
[0025] In some examples, as is discussed in greater detail below,
the audio distribution system 100 may also be employed as a
communication conduit for offering one or more services associated
with the venue 101, the audio/video content being presented via the
output devices 102, or some other entity. These services may
include, but are not limited to, chat rooms involving users of
other mobile devices 108, advertising and sales associated with the
venue 101 or other entities, customer loyalty programs associated
with the venue 101 or another entity, social networking services
involving other users of other mobile devices 108, and gaming or
wagering services associated with the venue 101 or another entity.
Such services may be organized and provided across the entire
system 100, or according to some subdivision of the system 100,
such as according to venue 101 or access device 106. In some
examples, this functionality may be provided directly by the access
device 106 or in conjunction with a communication node 112, such as
an information server, communicatively coupled with the access
device 106 by way of a communication network 110. Examples of the
communication network 110 may include, but are not limited to, a
wide-area network (WAN), such as an Intranet, the Internet, or some
portion thereof, a local-area network (LAN), and an IEEE 802.11x
(WiFi) network. Also, while the communication node 112 and the
communication network 110 are shown as being located external to
the venue 101, the communication node 112 and the network 110 may
be located completely or partially within the venue 101 in other
examples.
[0026] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example converter device 200
implementable as one of the converter devices 104 of FIG. 1. The
converter device 200 may include an analog audio receiver 202, a
conversion module 204, and a digital audio transmitter 206,
although other components not explicitly depicted in FIG. 2 may
also be included in the converter device 200 in other
implementations.
[0027] The analog audio receiver 202 may be configured to receive
an analog audio signal 102 from one of the audio/video output
devices 102. In one example, the analog audio signal 102 is carried
by way of a wire, cable, optical fiber, or other wired means from a
standard analog "audio out" connector of the corresponding output
device 102 to the converter device 200. In another implementation,
the analog out connector may be attached to a wireless transmitter
to carry the analog audio stream as an analog or digital wireless
signal to the converter device 200. Other methods and apparatus for
carrying the audio stream 120 to the converter device 200 may be
employed in other embodiments. In yet further examples, the audio
stream 120 generated by the audio/video output device 102 may be
digital in nature, in which case the converter device 200 may or
may not be required in order to present a corresponding digital
audio stream 122 to the access device 106 of FIG. 1.
[0028] In some implementations, the converter device 202 may
include multiple analog audio receivers 202 to receive audio
content from multiple audio/video output devices 102
simultaneously. Such multiple analog audio signals may be converted
and then combined into a single digital audio stream 122 or
multiple digital audio streams 122 for transmission to the access
device 106 of FIG. 1.
[0029] Presuming the audio stream 120 is an analog audio signal,
the analog audio receiver 202 receives the audio signal 120 and
provides the signal 120 to the conversion module 204. In one
example, the analog audio receiver 202 includes an automatic gain
control (AGC) function to adjust the gain of an amplifier of the
analog audio receiver 202 to provide a somewhat consistent signal
level for the input to the conversion module 204. In some
instances, the analog audio receiver 202 may incorporate other
functionality, such as lag reduction and network optimization
logic.
[0030] The conversion module 204 may then convert the received
analog audio signal to a digital audio signal. In one example, the
conversion module 204 includes at least one analog-to-digital
conversion (ADC) circuit that samples the analog audio stream at a
sufficiently high rate to generate a digital audio stream of
acceptable quality for presentation on at least one of the mobile
communication devices 108. In one implementation, the conversion
module 204 may also include audio compression logic or circuitry
that compresses the digital audio data before transmission of the
data to the access device 106. As a result, the resulting digital
audio data may be in a compressed format (such as Motion Picture
Experts Group-1, Audio Layer III (MP3) or Ogg) or an uncompressed
format, depending on the particular embodiment.
[0031] The digital audio stream generated by the conversion module
is then forwarded to the digital audio transmitter 206 for
transmission to the access device 106 of FIG. 1 as the digital
audio stream 122. In one example, the digital audio stream 122 is
transmitted over a wire, cable, optical fiber, or the like to the
access device 106. In one example, the digital audio stream is
transmitted via an Ethernet connection or network to the access
device 106. More specifically, the converter device 200 may be
attached to an Ethernet network as a network appliance, along with
other converter devices 200, for communicative coupling with the
access device 106. Thus, the digital audio transmitter 206 may
serve as an Ethernet transceiver that may possess a number of
network configuration capabilities, including, but not limited to,
dynamic and/or static Internet Protocol (IP) addressing,
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
functionality, User Datagram Protocol (UDP) functionality (possibly
including a checksum calculated by the user of a UDP
pseudo-header), and/or the like.
[0032] In another implementation, the digital audio stream 122 is
transmitted wirelessly, such as by way of a WiFi or Bluetooth.RTM.
protocol. If the converter device 200 is instead incorporated
within its respective access device 106, the digital audio
transmitter 206 may be omitted from the converter device 200.
[0033] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of an example method 300 of
operating the converter device 200 of FIG. 2. In the method 300,
the converter 200 receives an analog audio signal from an
audio/video output device (operation 302). The converter device 200
coverts the received analog audio signal to a digital audio stream
(operation 304). As discussed above, the conversion process may
also include generating a compressed digital audio stream. The
resulting digital audio stream is then transmitted to an access
device (operation 306).
[0034] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an example access device 400
implementable as the access device 106 of FIG. 1. The example
access device 400 may include one or more digital audio receivers
402, a wireless transceiver 406, a communication network interface
408, and control logic 404. In other examples, other components not
explicitly shown in FIG. 4 may also be incorporated into the access
device 400.
[0035] In the example of FIG. 4, each digital audio stream 122
generated by a converter device 104 may be received at a digital
audio receiver 402 of the access device 400. In some
implementations, such as the use of an Ethernet network to transmit
and receive the digital audio streams 122, the digital audio
receivers 402 may be embodied as a single Ethernet receiver or
transceiver with multiple connectors, with each connector receiving
a digital audio stream 122 from one of the converter devices 104.
The Ethernet receiver may also act as a transceiver to provide the
signals necessary to implement the Ethernet protocol, as controlled
by the control logic 404. In other examples, a separate digital
audio receiver 402 is used for each digital audio stream 122 to be
received, as depicted in FIG. 4.
[0036] The control logic 404 may provide each of the received
digital audio streams 122 to the wireless transceiver 406 for
transmission as one or more wireless digital audio streams 124 to
the mobile communication devices 108 of FIG. 1. In one example, the
wireless transceiver 406, in conjunction with the control logic
404, operates as a transceiver operating under IEEE 802.11x (WiFi)
protocols. In addition, the access device 400 may serve as a
wireless router for transfer of additional content 126 between the
various mobile communication devices 108. The access device 400
may, in some examples, operate as a router for transfer of
information associated with the converter devices 200, including
configuration information.
[0037] The communication network interface 408 is configured to
facilitate communications between the access device 400 and the
communication node 112 of FIG. 1 via the communication network 110.
In one example, the communication network interface 408 employs an
Ethernet connection for communication with a gateway device, such
as a cable or digital subscriber line (DSL) modem in communication
with the Internet or other communication network 110. In another
example, the communication network interface 408 may incorporate
the functionality of such a gateway device.
[0038] In some implementations, the control logic 404 may provide
functionality, possibly under the guidance of a system
administrator or other personnel, to support a number of functions
related to the operation of the audio distribution system 100.
These functions may include, but are not limited to, configuration
and operation of the audio distribution functions, network
management and administration of the mobile communication devices
108 as nodes of a LAN, and network routing functions for the LAN.
The control logic 404 may also provide web-related functions, such
as a captive portal and redirection functions similar to those
associated with a "walled garden," thus giving the proprietor of
the venue 101 or other entity control over web content accessible
by the mobile communication devices 108 via the access device 400.
Further, in one example, the control logic 404 prevents mobile
communication devices 108 that are not executing a specific
application that may be required to communicate with the access
device 400 from discovering a network access password needed to
engage in communications with the access device 400.
[0039] The control logic 404, possibly in conjunction with the
communication node 112 of FIG. 1, may also facilitate one or more
of the services described above, such as chatting, gaming,
point-of-sale transactions, customer loyalty programs, and the
like. Examples regarding these various programs are discussed in
greater detail below.
[0040] The control logic 404 may include electronic hardware,
software, or some combination thereof, such as one or more
processors configured to execute instructions that cause the
processor to perform the various operations described herein that
are attributed to the access device 400.
[0041] FIG. 5 illustrates an example method 500 of operating the
access device 400 of FIG. 4. In the method 500, the access device
400 receives multiple digital audio streams (operation 502),
possibly from one or more converter devices, such as the converter
device 200 of FIG. 2. The access device 400 transmits the multiple
digital audio streams as one or more wireless digital audio streams
to at least one mobile communication device (operation 504). The
access device 400 may also communicate additional content with the
at least one mobile communication device and/or a communication
node (operation 506), as noted above.
[0042] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example mobile
communication device 600 implementable as one or more of the mobile
communication devices 108 of FIG. 1. Examples of the mobile
communication device 600 include, but are not limited to, "smart"
phones, PDAs, laptop computers, and tablet computers. The mobile
communication device 600 includes a wireless transceiver 602, a
user interface 604, geographic location circuitry 606, and control
logic 608. Other components not explicitly depicted in FIG. 6 may
be incorporated into the mobile communication device 600 in other
embodiments.
[0043] The wireless transceiver 602 receives the one or more
wireless digital audio streams 124 transmitted from an access
device 106, as well as transmits and/or receives the additional
content 126 mentioned above. In one example, the wireless
transceiver 602, under the operation of the control logic 608,
communicates with the access device 106 using WiFi protocols. In
some examples, the wireless transceiver 602 may also communicate
with another communication network, such as a cellular telephone
network employing CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), GSM (Global
System for Mobil Communications), and/or other communication
protocols.
[0044] In one embodiment, the wireless transceiver 602 may receive
the one or more wireless digital audio streams 124 from a source
other than the access device 106. For example, a centralized audio
stream server (which may not be associated with, or located near,
the venue 101 at which the mobile communication device 600 is
positioned) may provide at least some digital audio streams by way
of the Internet or another communication network to the mobile
communication device 600. Use of a centralized audio stream server
may be appropriate in situations in which, for example, converter
devices 104 are not available at the venue 101, or business
constraints, such as licensing restrictions, exist.
[0045] The user interface 604 allows a user of the mobile
communication device 600 to interact with the mobile communication
device 600. Such interaction may include, for example, user
selection of a wireless digital audio stream 124 received at the
mobile communication device 600, user listening of the selected
wireless digital audio stream 124, and user involvement with
services provided via the access device 106 by way of the
additional content 126 communicated between the mobile
communication device 600 and the access device 106. Components that
may be incorporated as part of the user interface 604 may include,
but are not limited to, a visual display (possibly integrated with
a touch display or touchscreen), a keypad, an audio speaker and/or
audio connector, a Bluetooth.RTM. interface for an audio speaker or
earphone, a microphone, a camera, and an accelerometer.
[0046] The mobile communication device 600 may also include the
geographic location circuitry 606, an example of which may be
circuitry for receiving satellite signals from the Global
Positioning System (GPS) that may be employed by the control logic
608 to determine the geographic location of the mobile
communication device 600. As is described more fully below, the
control logic 608 may employ the location information to determine
if a nearby access device 106 is available to the mobile device 600
for communication purposes.
[0047] The control logic 608 may control any and/or all of the
other components of the mobile communications device 600, such as
the wireless transceiver 602, the user interface 604, and the
geographic location circuitry 606. The control logic 404 may
include electronic hardware, software, or some combination thereof,
such as one or more processors configured to execute instructions
that cause the processor to perform the various operations
described herein that are attributed to the mobile communication
device 600.
[0048] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of example modules incorporated as
part of the control logic 608 of the mobile communications device
600 of FIG. 6. Each of the modules shown in FIG. 7 may include
hardware, software, or some combination thereof. The example
modules may include a communication connection module 702, a
channel selection module 704, a geographic location module 706, a
chat service module 708, an advertising/sales service module 710, a
gaming service module 712, a customer loyalty service module 714, a
user settings module 716, and a social network access module 718.
Other modules not explicitly depicted in FIG. 7 may also being
included in the control logic 608. In one example, one or more of
the modules 702-714 may be included or represented in an
application, or "app," that may be loaded into, and executed by,
the control logic 608 to provide the various functions described in
greater detail provided by the mobile communication device 600.
[0049] In one example, the communication connection module 702
facilitates the creation of a communication connection between the
mobile communication device 600 and the access device 106 to allow
the reception of the one or more wireless digital audio streams
124, as well as the transmission and reception of the additional
content 126. The communication connection module 702 may also
assist in creating a secure connection between the mobile
communication device 600 and the access device 106 for various
services described more fully below. In one example, the
communication connection module 702 also facilitates creating a
communication connection between the mobile communication device
600 and the communication node 112 of FIG. 1 and other nodes by way
of an alternative communication network, such as a cellular
telephone network.
[0050] The channel selection module 704, in one example, presents
identities of a set of audio channels to the user via the user
interface 604 as carried in the one or more wireless digital audio
streams 124, receives a user selection of one of the channels, and
presents the selected channel to the user, such as by way of an
audio speaker or other audio output interface. In an example, the
channel selection module 704 may present the identity of an audio
channel associated with an identity of its corresponding
audio/video output device 102 so that the user may discern which
audio channel to select for the video content he is currently
viewing.
[0051] In one example, the geographic location module 706, by
utilizing the geographic location circuitry 606, may determine the
current location of the mobile communication device 600 to decide
which of multiple access devices 106 currently available are
providing acceptable communication signals or signal strengths to
the mobile communication device 600, and thus are the access
devices 106 most likely to provide audio content of interest to the
user of the mobile communication device 600.
[0052] In another example, the current location of the mobile
communication device 600 may be used to recommend other locations
or venues that possess at least one access device 106 for the
provision of the services described herein, especially in cases in
which no access devices 106 are immediately available at the
current location. This functionality is described in greater detail
below.
[0053] In other situations, technologies other than the
geographical location circuitry 606 may be utilized to determine
with greater specificity a location of the mobile communication
device 600. In just one example, the geographic location module 706
may be configured to decipher quick response (QR) codes placed at
various locations in a venue 101 to determine the location of the
mobile communication device 600 within the venue 101. Such
information may then be made available to the communication node
112 to refine or otherwise direct the services provided to the
mobile communication device 600, such as the delivery of food to a
specific table equipped with the QR code. Other technologies, such
as radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, may be used to
similar effect.
[0054] Generally, the chat service module 708, the
advertising/sales service module 710, the gaming service module
712, and the customer loyalty service module 714 may facilitate
communication in the form of the additional content 126 between the
mobile communication device 600 and the access device 106 (and
possibly the communication node 112) to provide the user of the
mobile communication device 600 access to each of these services.
Other examples of the mobile communication device 600, in
conjunction with the access device 106, may provide to the user
other services of interest that are not explicitly described
herein.
[0055] The chat service module 708, discussed more fully below, may
facilitate communications between the user of the mobile
communication device 600 and the users of other connected mobile
communication devices 600 via chat rooms. In some examples, such
communications may be carried on between mobile communication
devices 600 communicatively coupled to the same access device 106,
or to different access devices 106, whether located at the same
venue or different venues.
[0056] The advertising/sales service module 710 may receive
advertising from the access device 106 and present the received
advertising to the user of the mobile communication device 600. In
some examples, the advertising may be sourced by the venue 101, an
advertiser associated with the audio channel selected by the user
for reception, or another entity, such as a regional or national
product or service provider. The advertising/sales service module
710 may also facilitate point-of-sale transactions and related
processing and information transfer between the access device 106
and the mobile communication device 600. For example, the user may
order food items, merchandise, or the like offered by the venue
101, and pay for the ordered items by way of a credit card or other
account. Prior to such communications, the advertising/sales module
710 may invoke the communication connection module 702 to create a
secure connection between the access device 106 and the mobile
communication device 600 to protect the transmitted information
associated with the transaction.
[0057] Similarly, the gaming service module 712 may facilitate the
transfer of information relating to gaming and/or wagering between
the mobile communication device 600 and the access device 106. For
example, if the venue 101 is a gambling casino, the mobile
communication device 600 may present offers regarding available
wagers to be made on a particular outcome of an upcoming sporting
event. In response, the user of the mobile communication device 600
may place a wager on a particular outcome of the event via the
device 600 and transmit the wager via a secure connection with the
access device 106. The results of the wager may then be presented
to the user via the mobile communication device 600. In other
examples, instead of a wager, the user may provide an answer to a
trivia question posed by the venue 101, such as a sports bar.
[0058] To facilitate a customer loyalty program associated with the
venue 101 or another entity, the customer loyalty service module
714 may receive information regarding available registration for a
loyalty program (such as a program associated with the venue at
which the user is located, for example), the current number of
"points" or other indication regarding the standing of the user
within the loyalty program, information as to how the user may earn
more points, information as to what the user may receive for
redeeming a quantity of the earned points, and other related
information, and present that information to the user. The user, in
response, may register for the loyalty program, earn more points,
redeem previously earned points, or perform some other action
regarding the customer loyalty program by providing response
information via the mobile communication device 600 to the access
device 106.
[0059] The user settings module 716 may allow a user to alter or
change various settings or parameters that control the operation of
the mobile communication device 600 or the access device 106.
Examples of such settings include, but are not limited to, details
regarding how the mobile communication device 600 presents
information to the user, information associated with the user (such
as a chat "handle" or identifier for the user), selection of a LAN
for communication with an access device 106, user
visibility/anonymity settings, and user preferences regarding
reception of personalized offers or loyalty program
subscriptions.
[0060] The social network access module 718 may allow a user to
access social functions within the system 100, such as invitations,
friend identification and location, business social marketing
features, and interconnection with the features of other social
networks, such as Facebook.RTM.. In one example, a user may
broadcast the location and current status of the user to friends or
the entire system 100 upon the user initiating an application
allowing access to the audio distribution system 100, or upon
initiating a connection with an access device 106. In another
implementation, the user may initiate the broadcast operation via a
selection "button" or other data entry mechanism provided by an
application executing on the mobile communication device 600. In
some examples, these and other social network functions are
provided within the system 100 via API (Application Programming
Interface) support from other social networks, such as
Facebook.RTM..
[0061] FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of an example method 800 for
establishing a communication connection between the mobile
communication device 600 and an access device 106. In the method
800, the mobile communication device 600 determines any wireless
access nodes or devices available to the mobile communication
device 600 (operation 802), and transmits a first list indicating
the available wireless access devices to a communication node
(operation 804), such as the communication node 112 of FIG. 1. This
communication may occur, for example, over a cellular network
connection with the Internet or another WAN coupled with the
communication node. This first list may be generated via a polling
of information indicating signal strengths of nearby wireless
access devices from the mobile communication device 600, such as by
way of an API provided by the operating system of the device 600.
The mobile communication device 600 may also transmit an indication
of the geographic location of the device 600 to the communication
node 112, as supplied by the geographic location module 706. In
response, the mobile communication device 600 may receive a second
list indicating those wireless access devices of the first list
that are available for providing the various services described
herein (operation 806). If the second list is empty (in other
words, no wireless access devices are listed) (operation 808), at
least some functions related to the services to be provided may be
disabled (operation 810). Also, information may be presented to the
user regarding the location of nearby out-of-range wireless access
devices that may provide such services. Otherwise, if the second
list is not empty, the mobile communication device 600 may receive
an access password for each of the wireless access devices of the
second list (operation 812). The mobile communication device 600
may then present the second list to the user (operation 814). In
response, the mobile communication device 600 may receive from the
user a selection of the wireless access device to be used from the
second list (operation 816). Based on the selection, the mobile
communication device 600 may then establish a communication
connection between the mobile communication device 600 and the
selected access device 106 using the access password for the
selected wireless access device 106 (operation 818). In one
example, the user is prevented from seeing the access passwords,
thus keeping the identity of the passwords hidden. In another
implementation, the mobile communication device 600 may
automatically select one of the available access devices 106 on
behalf of the user. For example, the mobile communication device
600 may select, and establish a connection with, an access device
106 based on the detected signal strength of the access device
106.
[0062] FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of an example method 900 of
receiving audio data into the mobile communication device 600 after
a communication connection with the access device 106 has been
established. In the method 900, the mobile communication device 600
receives a plurality of digital audio streams via the established
communication connection (operation 902). Each of the streams may
represent the audio content from a particular audio/video output
device 102 in one implementation. In one example, the plurality of
digital audio streams may be combined into fewer signal data
streams, wherein the digital audio streams are multiplexed in some
fashion. The mobile communication device 600 also receives
information identifying the plurality of digital audio streams via
the communication connection (operation 904). The information may
include, in one implementation, an identification of the
audio/video output device 102 that is sourcing the audio of each
digital audio stream. After the mobile communication device 600
presents the identifying information to the user (operation 906),
the mobile communication device 600 receives a selection of one of
the digital audio streams from the user (operation 908). In
response to the user selection, the mobile communication device 600
presents the selected digital audio stream to the user for
listening (operation 910). In some implementations, the mobile
communication device 600 may also transmit the user selection to
the wireless access device 106 and/or the communication node 112
(operation 912), as the identification may allow presentation of
additional content 126 (such as product or service advertising)
that is related to the audio/video content being consumed by the
user.
[0063] FIG. 10 is a graphical representation of an example mobile
device display 1000 of the mobile communication device 600
presenting the identity of several digital audio data streams
available for reception. More specifically, the display 1000
presents the identity of several different audio/video channels
along with an identity of the particular audio/video output device
102 associated with the digital audio stream and a short
description of the audio/video content. In one example, presuming
the display 1000 is a touchscreen, the user need only touch one of
the available audio channels, and the mobile communication device
600 begins presenting the audio for the selected channel in
response. Also shown in the display 1000 may be an advertisement
presented by the establishment or venue 101 in which the mobile
communication device 600 is located. Given the potential real-time
nature of the information being presented to the user, the
advertisement may incorporate a time-critical element, such as an
expiration time.
[0064] In one example, upon the user selecting one of the available
audio channels, a second display associated with the selected audio
channel may be presented to the user. This display may present
information, such as the broadcast channel and the particular
program or event involved, which is specifically associated with
the selected audio channel. In some examples, the channel-specific
display may include advertising, such as advertising corresponding
to the broadcast channel or the venue.
[0065] FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a system in which
communications may be established between two or more mobile
communication devices 600 via one or more chat rooms. In an
example, an access device 106A located at a first venue 1101 may be
employed to transmit chat content between a first mobile
communication device 600A and a second mobile communication device
600B located at the first venue 1101. In another example, one or
both of the mobile devices 600A, 600B may engage in communications
with a third mobile communication device 600C located at a second
venue 1102 via the first access device 106A of the first venue 1101
and a second access device 106B located at the second venue 1102.
In this second example, the communication network 110 may take part
in transferring the chat content 1110 between the various mobile
communication devices 600. In one implementation, the communication
node 112 provides assistance in one or more aspects of the chat
rooms, such as the identification of the chat rooms that are
currently available for users of the system 100.
[0066] FIG. 12 is a flow diagram of an example method 1200 of
establishing communications between two or more mobile
communication devices 600 via a chat room. In the method 1200, the
mobile communication device 600 transmits user identification
regarding a user of the mobile communication device 600 (operation
1202). In one example, this information may be transmitted to the
access device 106 before or after a communication connection has
been established with the access device 106. The mobile
communication device 600 then receives an indication that at least
one chat room is available for communication with other users
(operation 1204). The mobile communication device 600 may then
present the indication to the user (operation 1206). The mobile
communication device 600 may then receive a request from the user
to join one of the chat rooms indicated (operation 1208). In
response to the request, the mobile communication device 600 may
then establish a connection between the first user and the chat
room to engage in communications with other users that have joined
the same room (operation 1210). In some examples, a communication
node 112 may initiate the process by transmitting to the mobile
communication device 600 an invitation to join a chat room. More
generally, the communication node 112 may also transmit an
invitation to a user to appear at a particular venue 101 or
location.
[0067] FIG. 13 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method
1300 of a mobile communication device 600 providing to a user one
of a number of services (for example, sales, gaming, social
networking, and/or customer loyalty program services, as described
above) supplied by the audio distribution system 100. In the method
1300, the mobile communication device 600 may receive information
regarding a service from the communication node 112 via a
previously established communication connection with an access
device 106 (operation 1302). The mobile communication device 600
may then present the information to the user (operation 1304). Such
information may include, for example, possible wagers for the user
to place, products or services for sale, and so on. A mobile
communication device 600 may then receive a reply to the
information from the user (operation 1306). Examples of such a
reply may be, for example, a wager or a purchase request. In
response to the reply, the mobile communication device 600 may then
establish a secure connection, such as a connection for
transmitting encrypted data, using the established connection
between the mobile communication device 600 and the communication
node 112 via the access device 106 (operation 1308). The mobile
communication device 600 may then facilitate communication between
the mobile communication device 600 and the communication node 112
via the access device 106 over the secure connection to provide the
specific service to the user (operation 1310).
[0068] The communication node 112 of FIG. 1, in one example, may
facilitate access by the mobile communication devices 108 to the
various services described above, as well as to provide
configuration and membership functionality related to the audio
distribution systems discussed above. In some implementations, the
communication node 112 may be referred to as a server providing
these various functions. Thus, the communication node 112 may
include at least one computer processor executing instructions
associated with a number of software modules to perform the various
functions discussed below. In some examples, a module may include
software, electronic hardware, or some combination thereof.
[0069] FIG. 14 is a block diagram of example modules included in a
communication node 1400, which may be representative of the
communication node 112 of FIG. 1. The communication node 1400
includes an access device configuration module 1402, a venue
subscription module 1404, a user administration module 1406, a user
analytics module 1408, a user session profile module 1410, an
advertising subscription module 1412, an advertising content module
1414, an advertising audience report module 1416, a social network
service module 1418, a customer loyalty service module 1420, a
gaming service module 1422, and one or more other service modules
1424. The communication node 1400 or server may include additional
modules, or include fewer modules, than that shown in FIG. 14 in
other implementations.
[0070] The access device configuration module 1402 may cause the
communication node 1400 to communicate with an access device 106 by
way of the communication network 110 to configure the access device
106, including, for example, network and communication parameters
to be used by the access device 106, and information to be stored
on the access device 106 for transfer to one or more mobile
communication devices 108. In one example, the access device
configuration module 1402 may also provide configuration
information for one or more converter devices 104 in communication
with the access device 106 via the access device 106. In some
implementations, the access device configuration module 1402 may
also control configurations of one or more of the mobile
communication devices 108 by way of information transmitted via the
access device 106.
[0071] The venue subscription module 1404 may perform operations
associated with initiating and maintaining a subscription to one or
more services available via the communication node 1400 by an
entity associated with the venue 101 hosting the access device 106.
In one example, such an entity may subscribe over some period of
time, such as a year or a month, to provide any or all of a number
of services, including, but not limited to, an audio distribution
service, a chat service, a gaming service, a customer loyalty
service, and a point-of-sale service. Such a subscription, in one
example, may allow the entity to provide one or more of the
services to patrons or customers of the entity free of charge. The
entity may also subscribe to an advertising service, as is
described in greater detail below.
[0072] The user administration module 1406 may facilitate the
registration of users of mobile communication devices 108 with the
system 100. Such registration may, for example, allow the
communication node 112 to store identification data (such as a chat
handle), credit card information, personal preferences, "friend"
identifications of other users, and other data associated with the
user. The maintenance of such information at the communication node
112 may allow the communication node 112 to recognize the user
quickly and allow the user to employ the information regardless of
the particular access device 106 or venue 101 currently hosting the
user. In some cases, the user administration module 1406 may also
control access to the system 100 on a user-by-user basis, depending
on previous activities of the user, the current number of users
coupled to the system 100, and/or other factors.
[0073] The user analytics module 1408 may allow the communication
node 112 to track each connection or session to the system 100 by a
user of a particular mobile communication device 108 via an access
device 106, including, but not limited to, the types of services
utilized by the user, and the particular audio content requested by
the user. Such information may be beneficial for directing
particular types of advertising to the user, offering specific
services to the user, and the like. In some examples, the
communication node 112 may also employ the information to determine
how the user employs the access device 106 and other portions of
the system 100. In one example, by aggregating this information for
each of the users, the communication node 112 may determine proper
configurations for access devices 106 to make the system 100 more
efficient, determine future equipment needs for the system 100, and
so on. Thus, the metrics and related information provided via the
user analytics module 1408 may be advantageous for both
administrators of the system 100 and paid subscribers to the system
100.
[0074] The user session profile module 1410 may maintain a database
of session profiles for each user (such as end users, entities
associated with particular venues 101, system administrators, and
the like) so that the communication node 112 may control user
access to the system 100. Each of the session profiles may include,
for example, a domain name, user name or log-in, password, and the
like. A profile may also allow a user to access the system 100 by
way of an access device 106, over the Internet, through a cellular
phone network, or via some other communication path. In some
examples, a session profile may also include information specific
to the mobile communication device 108 employed by the user, such
as the type and model of the device 108, the functional and
performance capabilities of the device 108, and the like.
[0075] The advertising subscription module 1412 may facilitate the
initiation and maintenance of advertising subscriptions by various
entities, such as those associated with specific venues 101. In one
example, an advertising subscription may allow an entity associated
with a venue 101 to provide advertising to one or more mobile
communication devices 108 coupled with an access device 106 located
at the venue 101, as discussed above. Other entities, such as
national or regional providers of goods or services that are not
associated with a particular venue 101, may also subscribe to the
advertising services provided by the system 100.
[0076] The advertising content module 1414 may provide means by
which advertising subscribers may upload advertising content to the
communication node 112 for subsequent transmission to mobile
communication devices 108 by way of the system 100. In some
examples, subscriber entities associated with a particular venue
101 may have their advertising delivered to mobile communication
devices 108 communicatively coupled with an access device 106
located at the venue 101. Advertising supplied by national or
regional subscribers may be transmitted to mobile communication
devices 108 located at multiple venues 101.
[0077] In some implementations, the advertising supplied to a
mobile communication device 108 may initiate other actions within
the mobile communication device 108. For example, in response to a
user touching or otherwise activating a displayed advertisement,
the mobile communication device 108 may open a web browser and
direct the browser to an associated web page, such as a web page
for the subscriber providing the advertisement. In another example,
the mobile communication device 108 may initiate some activity,
such as a game, a registration process in a loyalty program, a
purchase, or a wager.
[0078] The advertising audience report module 1416 may generate and
provide to advertising subscribers reports regarding users of the
mobile communication devices 108 that receive, or are capable of
receiving, the advertising provided by the advertising subscriber.
Such information may include, for example, demographic information,
personal interest information, survey response information,
point-of-sale transaction information, a number of advertisement
impressions, a number of advertisements with user interaction, and
the like, that the advertising subscriber may find useful in
directing current and future advertising efforts.
[0079] The social network service module 1418, the customer loyalty
service module 1420, and the gaming service module 1422 facilitate
the provision of the corresponding services discussed above with
respect to the social network access module 718, the gaming service
module 712, and the customer loyalty service module 714 of the
mobile communication device 600, respectively. Each of these
services is described in greater detail above. Each of these
modules 1418, 1420, 1422 may facilitate the services for each user
at each venue associated with the system 100. Further, each service
may be organized by venue, across the entire system 100, by
corporate entity, by specific product brand, and/or by any other
type of organizational structure applicable to social networks,
gaming services, and customer loyalty programs.
[0080] One or more other service-specific modules 1424 may also be
incorporated in the communication node 112 to facilitate one or
more services, such as, for example, point-of-sale or mobile
commerce (mCommerce) transactions. In one implementation, the
communication node 112 provides the service-related information
(offer of products, for example) to a user of a mobile
communication device 108 by way of the communication network 110
and the access device 106 that is communicatively coupled with the
mobile communication device 108. The communication node 112 may
also receive any responses to the service-related information (for
example, product purchases) from the user via the same path, and
process those responses in order to provide the desired services.
In other examples, point-of-sale transaction and other services may
be provided to subscribers other than those entities associated
with a particular venue 101.
[0081] While much of the above discussion focuses on certain public
venues, such as restaurants, bars, and sports books, as likely
locations for implementation of the systems and methods described
herein, other venues, both public and private, such as airport
terminals or gate areas, corporate reception lobbies, doctor's
office waiting areas, and so on, may also benefit from application
of the various concepts described herein.
Modules, Components, and Logic
[0082] Certain embodiments, such as the converter devices 104, 200,
the access devices 106, 400, the mobile communication devices 108,
600, and the communication nodes 112, 1400 discussed above, are
described herein as including logic or a number of components,
modules, or mechanisms. Modules may constitute either software
modules (e.g., code embodied on a machine-readable medium or in a
transmission signal) or hardware modules. A hardware module is a
tangible unit capable of performing certain operations and may be
configured or arranged in a certain manner. In example embodiments,
one or more computer systems (e.g., a standalone, client, or server
computer system) or one or more hardware modules of a computer
system (e.g., a processor or a group of processors) may be
configured by software (e.g., an application or application
portion) as a hardware module that operates to perform certain
operations as described herein.
[0083] In various embodiments, a hardware module may be implemented
mechanically or electronically. For example, a hardware module may
comprise dedicated circuitry or logic that is permanently
configured (e.g., as a special-purpose processor, such as a field
programmable gate array (FPGA) or an application-specific
integrated circuit (ASIC)) to perform certain operations. A
hardware module may also comprise programmable logic or circuitry
(e.g., as encompassed within a general-purpose processor or other
programmable processor) that is temporarily configured by software
to perform certain operations. It will be appreciated that the
decision to implement a hardware module mechanically, in dedicated
and permanently configured circuitry, or in temporarily configured
circuitry (e.g., configured by software) may be driven by cost and
time considerations.
[0084] Accordingly, the term "hardware module" should be understood
to encompass a tangible entity, be that an entity that is
physically constructed, permanently configured (e.g., hardwired) or
temporarily configured (e.g., programmed) to operate in a certain
manner and/or to perform certain operations described herein.
Considering embodiments in which hardware modules are temporarily
configured (e.g., programmed), each of the hardware modules need
not be configured or instantiated at any one instance in time. For
example, where the hardware modules comprise a general-purpose
processor configured using software, the general-purpose processor
may be configured as respective different hardware modules at
different times. Software may accordingly configure a processor,
for example, to constitute a particular hardware module at one
instance of time and to constitute a different hardware module at a
different instance of time.
[0085] Hardware modules can provide information to, and receive
information from, other hardware modules. Accordingly, the
described hardware modules may be regarded as being communicatively
coupled. Where multiple such hardware modules exist
contemporaneously, communications may be achieved through signal
transmission (e.g., over appropriate circuits and buses) that
connect the hardware modules. In embodiments in which multiple
hardware modules are configured or instantiated at different times,
communications between such hardware modules may be achieved, for
example, through the storage and retrieval of information in memory
structures to which the multiple hardware modules have access. For
example, one hardware module may perform an operation and store the
output of that operation in a memory device to which it is
communicatively coupled. A further hardware module may then, at a
later time, access the memory device to retrieve and process the
stored output. Hardware modules may also initiate communications
with input or output devices, and can operate on a resource (e.g.,
a collection of information).
[0086] The various operations of example methods described herein
may be performed, at least partially, by one or more processors
that are temporarily configured (e.g., by software) or permanently
configured to perform the relevant operations. Whether temporarily
or permanently configured, such processors may constitute
processor-implemented modules that operate to perform one or more
operations or functions. The modules referred to herein may, in
some example embodiments, comprise processor-implemented
modules.
[0087] Similarly, the methods described herein may be at least
partially processor-implemented. For example, at least some of the
operations of a method may be performed by one or more processors
or processor-implemented modules. The performance of certain of the
operations may be distributed among the one or more processors, not
only residing within a single machine, but deployed across a number
of machines. In some example embodiments, the processor or
processors may be located in a single location (e.g., within a home
environment, an office environment, or as a server farm), while in
other embodiments the processors may be distributed across a number
of locations.
[0088] The one or more processors may also operate to support
performance of the relevant operations in a "cloud computing"
environment or as a "software as a service" (SaaS). For example, at
least some of the operations may be performed by a group of
computers (as examples of machines including processors), these
operations being accessible via a network (e.g., the Internet) and
via one or more appropriate interfaces (e.g., APIs).
Electronic Apparatus and System
[0089] Example embodiments may be implemented in digital electronic
circuitry, or in computer hardware, firmware, or software, or in
combinations thereof. Example embodiments may be implemented using
a computer program product (e.g., a computer program tangibly
embodied in an information carrier in a machine-readable medium)
for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing
apparatus (e.g., a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple
computers).
[0090] A computer program can be written in any form of programming
language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and it can
be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a
module, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing
environment. A computer program can be deployed to be executed on
one computer or on multiple computers at one site or distributed
across multiple sites and interconnected by a communications
network.
[0091] In example embodiments, operations may be performed by one
or more programmable processors executing a computer program to
perform functions by operating on input data and generating output.
Method operations can also be performed by, and apparatus of
example embodiments may be implemented as, special purpose logic
circuitry (e.g., a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or an
application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)).
[0092] The computing system can include clients and servers. A
client and server are generally remote from each other and
typically interact through a communication network. The
relationship of client and server arises by virtue of computer
programs running on their respective computers and having a
client-server relationship to each other. In embodiments deploying
a programmable computing system, it will be appreciated that both
hardware and software architectures may be considered.
Specifically, it will be appreciated that the choice of whether to
implement certain functionality in permanently configured hardware
(e.g., an ASIC), in temporarily configured hardware (e.g., a
combination of software and a programmable processor), or a
combination of permanently and temporarily configured hardware may
be a design choice. Below are set forth hardware (e.g., machine)
and software architectures that may be deployed in various example
embodiments.
Example Machine Architecture and Machine-Readable Medium
[0093] FIG. 15 is a block diagram of a machine in the example form
of a computer system 1500 within which instructions for causing the
machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed
herein may be executed. In alternative embodiments, the machine
operates as a standalone device or may be connected (e.g.,
networked) to other machines. In a networked deployment, the
machine may operate in the capacity of a server or a client machine
in a server-client network environment, or as a peer machine in a
peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine may
be a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a
Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a web
appliance, a network router, switch or bridge, or any machine
capable of executing instructions (sequential or otherwise) that
specify actions to be taken by that machine. Further, while only a
single machine is illustrated, the term "machine" shall also be
taken to include any collection of machines that individually or
jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform
any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein.
[0094] The example computer system 1500 includes a processor 1502
(e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit
(GPU), or both), a main memory 1504, and a static memory 1506,
which communicate with each other via a bus 1508. The computer
system 1500 may further include a video display unit 1510 (e.g., a
liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT)). The
computer system 1500 also includes an alphanumeric input device
1512 (e.g., a keyboard), a user interface (UI) navigation device
1514 (e.g., a mouse), a disk drive unit 1516, a signal generation
device 1518 (e.g., a speaker), and a network interface device
1520.
Machine-Readable Medium
[0095] The disk drive unit 1516 includes a machine-readable medium
1522 on which is stored one or more sets of data structures and
instructions 1524 (e.g., software) 1524 embodying or utilized by
any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein.
The instructions 1524 may also reside, completely or at least
partially, within the main memory 1504 and/or within the processor
1502 during execution thereof by the computer system 1500, the main
memory 1504 and the processor 1502 also constituting
machine-readable media.
[0096] While the machine-readable medium 1522 is shown in an
example embodiment to be a single medium, the term
"machine-readable medium" may include a single medium or multiple
media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or
associated caches and servers) that store the one or more
instructions 1524 or data structures. The term "non-transitory
machine-readable medium" shall also be taken to include any
tangible medium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying
instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the
machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the
present subject matter, or that is capable of storing, encoding, or
carrying data structures utilized by or associated with such
instructions. The term "non-transitory machine-readable medium"
shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to,
solid-state memories, and optical and magnetic media. Specific
examples of non-transitory machine-readable media include, but are
not limited to, non-volatile memory, including by way of example,
semiconductor memory devices (e.g., Erasable Programmable Read-Only
Memory (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory
(EEPROM), and flash memory devices), magnetic disks such as
internal hard disks and removable disks, magneto-optical disks, and
CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks.
Transmission Medium
[0097] The instructions 1524 may further be transmitted or received
over a computer network 1550 using a transmission medium. The
instructions 1524 may be transmitted using the network interface
device 1520 and any one of a number of well-known transfer
protocols (e.g., HTTP). Examples of communication networks include
a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), the
Internet, mobile telephone networks, Plain Old Telephone Service
(POTS) networks, and wireless data networks (e.g., WiFi and WiMAX
networks). The term "transmission medium" shall be taken to include
any intangible medium that is capable of storing, encoding, or
carrying instructions for execution by the machine, and includes
digital or analog communications signals or other intangible media
to facilitate communication of such software.
CONCLUSION
[0098] Thus, methods and systems to distribute one or more streams
of audio data, as well as provide advertising and/or one or more
customer-oriented services, have been described. Although the
present subject matter has been described with reference to
specific example embodiments, it will be evident that various
modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without
departing from the broader scope of the subject matter.
Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in
an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The accompanying
drawings that form a part hereof, show by way of illustration, and
not of limitation, specific embodiments in which the subject matter
may be practiced. The embodiments illustrated are described in
sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice
the teachings disclosed herein. Other embodiments may be utilized
and derived therefrom, such that structural and logical
substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the
scope of this disclosure. This Detailed Description, therefore, is
not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of various
embodiments is defined only by the appended claims, along with the
full range of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
[0099] Such embodiments of the inventive subject matter may be
referred to herein, individually and/or collectively, by the term
"invention" merely for convenience and without intending to
voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any single
invention or inventive concept if more than one is in fact
disclosed. Thus, although specific embodiments have been
illustrated and described herein, it should be appreciated that any
arrangement calculated to achieve the same purpose may be
substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is
intended to cover any and all adaptations or variations of various
embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments, and other
embodiments not specifically described herein, will be apparent to
those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description.
[0100] All publications, patents, and patent documents referred to
in this document are incorporated by reference herein in their
entirety, as though individually incorporated by reference. In the
event of inconsistent usages between this document and those
documents so incorporated by reference, the usage in the
incorporated reference(s) should be considered supplementary to
that of this document; for irreconcilable inconsistencies, the
usage in this document controls.
[0101] In this document, the terms "a" or "an" are used, as is
common in patent documents, to include one or more than one,
independent of any other instances or usages of "at least one" or
"one or more." In this document, the term "or" is used to refer to
a nonexclusive "or", such that "A or B" includes "A but not B," "B
but not A," and "A and B," unless otherwise indicated. In the
appended claims, the terms "including" and "in which" are used as
the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms "comprising"
and "wherein." Also, in the following claims, the terms "including"
and "comprising" are open-ended; that is, a system, device,
article, or process that includes elements in addition to those
listed after such a term in a claim are still deemed to fall within
the scope of that claim. Moreover, in the following claims, the
terms "first," "second," "third," and so forth are used merely as
labels and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on
their objects.
[0102] The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to comply with 37
C.F.R. .sctn.1.72(b), requiring an abstract that will allow the
reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure.
The Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not
be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen
that various features are grouped together in a single embodiment
for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of
disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that
the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly
recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect,
inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single
disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby
incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim
standing on its own as a separate embodiment.
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