U.S. patent application number 17/158644 was filed with the patent office on 2021-06-10 for automated scheduling of media items into schedule based on whether position is a transition position.
This patent application is currently assigned to iHeartMedia Management Services, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is iHeartMedia Management Services, Inc.. Invention is credited to Nigel Attwell.
Application Number | 20210173551 17/158644 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005406147 |
Filed Date | 2021-06-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210173551 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Attwell; Nigel |
June 10, 2021 |
AUTOMATED SCHEDULING OF MEDIA ITEMS INTO SCHEDULE BASED ON WHETHER
POSITION IS A TRANSITION POSITION
Abstract
A method for use in an automated media scheduling system
including a processor and associated memory includes inserting
media items from a first category into broadcast schedule positions
of a first daypart of a broadcast media schedule, and determining
that a second daypart, adjacent to the first daypart, is to be
scheduled. A first position within the second daypart is selected,
and a determination is made regarding whether the first position is
a transition position. In response to determining that the first
position is not a transition position, a first media item is
selected in accordance with a user-specified order. The broadcast
media schedule is automatically modified by inserting the first
media item into the first position.
Inventors: |
Attwell; Nigel; (Goldens
Bridge, NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
iHeartMedia Management Services, Inc. |
San Antonio |
TX |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
iHeartMedia Management Services,
Inc.
San Antonio
TX
|
Family ID: |
1000005406147 |
Appl. No.: |
17/158644 |
Filed: |
January 26, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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16504638 |
Jul 8, 2019 |
10908794 |
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17158644 |
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14837976 |
Aug 27, 2015 |
10372309 |
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16504638 |
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13940877 |
Jul 12, 2013 |
9152296 |
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14837976 |
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12914000 |
Oct 28, 2010 |
8490099 |
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13940877 |
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12856952 |
Aug 16, 2010 |
8418182 |
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12914000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/0481 20130101;
H04H 60/47 20130101; G06F 3/04842 20130101; H04H 60/06
20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/0484 20130101
G06F003/0484; G06F 3/0481 20130101 G06F003/0481; H04H 60/06
20080101 H04H060/06 |
Claims
1. A method for use in an automated media scheduling system
including a processor and associated memory, the method comprising:
inserting media items from a first category into broadcast schedule
positions of a first daypart of a broadcast media schedule;
determining that a second daypart of the broadcast media schedule
is to be scheduled, wherein the second daypart is adjacent to the
first daypart; selecting a first position within the second daypart
to be scheduled; determining whether the first position is a
transition position; in response to determining that the first
position is not a transition position, selecting a first media item
from a plurality media items, wherein the first media item is
selected in accordance with a user-specified order; and
automatically modifying the broadcast media schedule by inserting
the first media item into the first position.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: in response to
determining that the first position is a transition position,
selecting the first media item subject to both vertical and
horizontal adjacency conflict protections.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the first media item
includes: selecting the first media item from the first
category.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining that a
third daypart of the broadcast media schedule is to be scheduled,
wherein the third daypart is adjacent to the second daypart;
selecting a second position within the third daypart to be
scheduled; determining that the second position is not a transition
position; in response to determining that the second position is
not a transition position, selecting a second media item from the
plurality media items, wherein the second media item is selected in
accordance with the user-specified order; and automatically
modifying the broadcast media schedule by inserting the second
media item into the second position.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining that a
third daypart of the broadcast media schedule is to be scheduled,
wherein the third daypart is adjacent to the second daypart;
selecting a second position within the third daypart to be
scheduled; determining that the second position is a transition
position; in response to determining that the second position is a
transition position, selecting a second media item subject to both
vertical and horizontal adjacency conflict protections; and
automatically modifying the broadcast media schedule by inserting
the second media item into the second position.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: scheduling dayparts
of the broadcast media schedule in reverse order.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: scheduling media
items from the first category into a plurality of selected dayparts
of the broadcast media schedule prior to scheduling media items
from plurality of selected dayparts of the broadcast media
schedule.
8. An automated media scheduling system comprising: a processor;
memory operably associated with the processor; and a program of
instructions configured to be stored in the memory and executed by
the processor, the program of instructions causing the processor
and memory to implement a method including: inserting media items
from a first category into broadcast schedule positions of a first
daypart of a broadcast media schedule; determining that a second
daypart of the broadcast media schedule is to be scheduled, wherein
the second daypart is adjacent to the first daypart; selecting a
first position within the second daypart to be scheduled;
determining whether the first position is a transition position; in
response to determining that the first position is not a transition
position, selecting a first media item from a plurality media
items, wherein the first media item is selected in accordance with
a user-specified order; and automatically modifying the broadcast
media schedule by inserting the first media item into the first
position.
9. The automated media scheduling system of claim 8, wherein the
program of instructions is further configured to cause the
processor and memory to implement a method including: in response
to determining that the first position is a transition position,
selecting the first media item subject to both vertical and
horizontal adjacency conflict protections.
10. The automated media scheduling system of claim 8, wherein the
program of instructions is further configured to cause the
processor and memory to implement a method wherein: selecting the
first media item includes selecting the first media item from the
first category.
11. The automated media scheduling system of claim 8, wherein the
program of instructions is further configured to cause the
processor and memory to implement a method including: determining
that a third daypart of the broadcast media schedule is to be
scheduled, wherein the third daypart is adjacent to the second
daypart; selecting a second position within the third daypart to be
scheduled; determining that the second position is not a transition
position; in response to determining that the second position is
not a transition position, selecting a second media item from the
plurality media items, wherein the second media item is selected in
accordance with the user-specified order; and automatically
modifying the broadcast media schedule by inserting the second
media item into the second position.
12. The automated media scheduling system of claim 8, wherein the
program of instructions is further configured to cause the
processor and memory to implement a method including: determining
that a third daypart of the broadcast media schedule is to be
scheduled, wherein the third daypart is adjacent to the second
daypart; selecting a second position within the third daypart to be
scheduled; determining that the second position is a transition
position; in response to determining that the second position is a
transition position, selecting a second media item subject to both
vertical and horizontal adjacency conflict protections; and
automatically modifying the broadcast media schedule by inserting
the second media item into the second position.
13. The automated media scheduling system of claim 8, wherein the
program of instructions is further configured to cause the
processor and memory to implement a method including: scheduling
dayparts of the broadcast media schedule in reverse order.
14. The automated media scheduling system of claim 8, wherein the
program of instructions is further configured to cause the
processor and memory to implement a method including: scheduling
media items from the first category into a plurality of selected
dayparts of the broadcast media schedule prior to scheduling media
items from plurality of selected dayparts of the broadcast media
schedule.
15. A non-transitory computer readable medium tangibly embodying a
program of instructions configured to be stored in memory and
executed by a processor, the program of instructions including: at
least one instruction to insert media items from a first category
into broadcast schedule positions of a first daypart of a broadcast
media schedule; at least one instruction to determine that a second
daypart of the broadcast media schedule is to be scheduled, wherein
the second daypart is adjacent to the first daypart; at least one
instruction to select a first position within the second daypart to
be scheduled; at least one instruction to determine whether the
first position is a transition position; at least one instruction
to select, in accordance with a user-specified order, a first media
item from a plurality media items in response to determining that
the first position is not a transition position; and at least one
instruction to automatically modifying the broadcast media schedule
by inserting the first media item into the first position.
16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15,
wherein the program of instructions further includes: at least one
instruction to select the first media item subject to both vertical
and horizontal adjacency conflict protections in response to
determining that the first position is a transition position.
17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15,
wherein the program of instructions further includes: at least one
instruction to select the first media item includes selecting the
first media item from the first category.
18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15,
wherein the program of instructions further includes: at least one
instruction to determine that a third daypart of the broadcast
media schedule is to be scheduled, wherein the third daypart is
adjacent to the second daypart; at least one instruction to select
a second position within the third daypart to be scheduled; at
least one instruction to determining that the second position is
not a transition position; at least one instruction to select, a
second media item from the plurality media items in accordance with
the user-specified order in response to determining that the second
position is not a transition position; and at least one instruction
to automatically modify the broadcast media schedule by inserting
the second media item into the second position.
19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15,
wherein the program of instructions further includes: at least one
instruction to determine that a third daypart of the broadcast
media schedule is to be scheduled, wherein the third daypart is
adjacent to the second daypart; at least one instruction to select
a second position within the third daypart to be scheduled; at
least one instruction to determine that the second position is a
transition position; at least one instruction to select a second
media item subject to both vertical and horizontal adjacency
conflict protections in response to determining that the second
position is a transition position; and at least one instruction to
automatically modify the broadcast media schedule by inserting the
second media item into the second position.
20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15,
wherein the program of instructions further includes: at least one
instruction to schedule dayparts of the broadcast media schedule in
reverse order.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present U.S. Utility Patent Application claims priority
pursuant to 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 120 as a continuation of U.S. Utility
application Ser. No. 16/504,638, entitled "AUTOMATED SCHEDULING OF
MULTIMEDIA CONTENT AVOIDING ADJACENCY CONFLICTS," filed Jul. 8,
2019, which is a continuation of U.S. Utility application Ser. No.
14/837,976, entitled "METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING A
SCHEDULING ORDER," filed Aug. 27, 2015, issued as U.S. Pat. No.
10,372,309 on Aug. 6, 2019, which is a continuation of U.S. Utility
application Ser. No. 13/940,877, entitled "METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR
CONTROLLING A SCHEDULING ORDER," filed Jul. 12, 2013, issued as
U.S. Pat. No. 9,152,296 on Oct. 6, 2015, which is a continuation of
U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 12/914,000, entitled "METHOD AND
SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING A SCHEDULING ORDER PER DAYPART CATEGORY IN A
MUSIC SCHEDULING SYSTEM," filed Oct. 28, 2010, issued as U.S. Pat.
No. 8,490,099 on Jul. 16, 2013, which is a continuation-in-part of
U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 12/856,952, entitled "METHOD AND
SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING A SCHEDULING ORDER PER CATEGORY IN A MUSIC
SCHEDULING SYSTEM," filed Aug. 16, 2010, issued as U.S. Pat. No.
8,418,182 on Apr. 9, 2013, all of which are hereby incorporated
herein by reference in their entirety and made part of the present
U.S. Utility Patent Application for all purposes.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] Embodiments are generally related, generally, to the
automated scheduling of delivery and airplay of multimedia content,
and more particularly to automated scheduling of media items into
positions based on whether the position being scheduled is a
transition position.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Most radio stations employ a music director to select and
schedule music and other multimedia programming for airplay. A
typical music director is responsible for interacting with record
company reps, auditioning new music, and making decisions
(sometimes in conjunction with a program director) as to which
songs get airplay, how much and when. At most radio stations today,
the music director devises rotations for songs and programs the
daily music through specialized music software made just for this
purpose.
[0004] Music directors often have difficulty in evenly programming
daily rotations to prevent repeat multimedia plays. If the music
director fails to account for the content of programming in
different day parts of a programming day, the listener could be
exposed to repeated programming. Music directors often hand-place
songs to try and prevent these clashes between day parts. It is
difficult, however, for a music director to adjust program content
in a way that will prevent programming clashes later in the day yet
still maintain good rotation of the content within a day part. Only
as the music director approaches the upcoming day parts would the
director see the programming clashes. Having to re-program much of
the day's content to correct the clashing rotations is
inefficient.
[0005] Therefore, a need exists to provide a station's music
director with an efficient system and method for scheduling a
multimedia's programming day depending on song selection and good
horizontal and vertical rotation during different dayparts. A
dynamic music scheduling system can be provided for automatic
adjustments in playlists or guidance for a station's music director
for manual music placement.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0006] The following summary is provided to facilitate an
understanding of some of the innovative features unique to the
disclosed embodiments and is not intended to be a full description.
A full appreciation of the various aspects of the embodiments
disclosed herein can be gained by taking the entire specification,
claims, drawings, and abstract as a whole.
[0007] It is, therefore, one aspect of the disclosed embodiments to
provide for an, improved scheduling method and/or apparatus for use
in the context of radio stations and networks of radio
stations.
[0008] It is another aspect of the disclosed embodiments to provide
for a method and/or apparatus for controlling the scheduling of
multimedia content such as audio and music for airplay per
category.
[0009] It is yet another aspect of the disclosed embodiments to
provide for a method and/or apparatus for dynamic multimedia
scheduling to prevent repeated multimedia airplay in consecutive
timeslots.
[0010] The aforementioned aspects and other objectives and
advantages can now be achieved as described herein. An apparatus
and method for a multimedia schedule for broadcast, which includes
selecting the multimedia schedule for the broadcast via a user
interface, and determining whether a slot from a plurality of slots
of a daypart for a day is a transition period of the daypart. When
the slot to be scheduled is the transition period of the daypart,
horizontal and vertical adjacency requirements are addressed.
[0011] In an aspect of the embodiment, horizontal adjacency
requirements are satisfied for the transition period by modifying
the multimedia schedule with a multimedia content such that the
multimedia content is not also scheduled in an adjacent slot of the
day relative to the transition period of the daypart.
[0012] In another aspect of the embodiment, vertical adjacency
requirements are satisfied for the transition period by modifying
the multimedia schedule with the multimedia content such that the
multimedia content is not also scheduled during a same daypart
across an adjacent day that is relative to the day.
[0013] The apparatus and method are operable to produce a modified
multimedia schedule for the broadcast, and display the modified
multimedia schedule for the broadcast.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The accompanying figures, in which like reference numerals
refer to identical or functionally-similar elements throughout the
separate views and which are incorporated in and form a part of the
specification, further illustrate the present embodiments, and,
together with the detailed description, serve to explain the
principles herein.
[0015] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic view of a data-processing
system in which the disclosed embodiments may be implemented;
[0016] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic view of a software system
including an operating system, application software, and a user
interface for carrying out the disclosed embodiments;
[0017] FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of operations depicting
logical operational steps of a method for defining the
slotted-by-daypart categories in a slotted-by-daypart multimedia
schedule, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments;
[0018] FIG. 4a illustrates an example of a graphically displayed
table for a slotted-by-daypart scheduling technique, in accordance
with the disclosed embodiments;
[0019] FIG. 4b illustrates an example of a graphically displayed
table for a slotted-by-daypart scheduling technique, in accordance
with the disclosed embodiments;
[0020] FIG. 4c illustrates an example of a graphically displayed
table for a slotted-by-daypart scheduling technique, in accordance
with the disclosed embodiments;
[0021] FIG. 4d illustrates an example of a graphically displayed
table for a slotted-by-daypart scheduling technique, in accordance
with the disclosed embodiments; and
[0022] FIG. 5 illustrates a flow chart of operations depicting
logical operational steps of a method for defining categories and
plotting a slotted-by-daypart multimedia schedule, in accordance
with the disclosed embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] The particular values and configurations discussed in these
non-limiting examples can be varied and are cited merely to
illustrate at least one embodiment and are not intended to limit
the scope thereof.
[0024] The following discussion is intended to provide a brief,
general description of suitable computing environments in which the
system and method may be implemented. Although not required, the
disclosed embodiments are generally described in the general
context of computer-executable instructions such as, for example,
one or more program modules, which can be executed by a processor,
computer, or a group of interconnected computers.
[0025] Also, dayparts of a multimedia schedule may be scheduled in
chronological order within a broadcast day. When scheduling
dayparts in a forward chronological order, dayparts occurring
earlier in said broadcast day are scheduled first, followed by
scheduling consecutively later dayparts. Conversely, when
scheduling dayparts in a reverse chronological order, dayparts
occurring later in said broadcast day are scheduled first, followed
by scheduling consecutively earlier dayparts.
[0026] As noted above, the embodiments provided herein can be
understood, in a general sense, to schedule multimedia content such
that multimedia content is not scheduled adjacent to itself in a
broadcast day and multimedia content is not scheduled in the same
daypart time slot in adjacent broadcast days.
[0027] FIGS. 1 and 2 are provided as exemplary diagrams of a data
processing environment in which embodiments may be implemented. It
should be appreciated that FIGS. 1-2 are only exemplary and are not
intended to assert or imply any limitation with regard to the
environments in which aspects or embodiments may be implemented.
Many modifications to the depicted environments may be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
[0028] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the disclosed embodiments may be
implemented in the context of a data-processing system 100, which
can be configured to include, for example, a central processor 101,
a main memory 102, an input/output controller 103, a keyboard 104,
a pointing device 105 (e.g., mouse, track ball, pen device, or the
like), a display device 106, and a mass storage 107 (e.g., hard
disk). Additional input/output components, such as a hardware
interface 108, for example, may be electronically connected to the
data-processing system 100 as desired. Note that such hardware
interface 108 may constitute, for example, a USB (Universal Serial
Bus) that allows other devices such as printers, fax machines,
scanners, copiers, and so on, to communicate with the
data-processing system 100.
[0029] Note that, as illustrated, the various components of the
data-processing system 100 communicate through a system bus 110 or
similar architecture. It can be appreciated that the
data-processing system 100 may, in some embodiments, be implemented
as a mobile computing device such as a Smartphone, laptop computer,
Apple.RTM. iPhone.RTM., etc. In other embodiments, the
data-processing system 100 may function as a desktop computer,
server, and the like, depending upon design considerations.
[0030] FIG. 2 illustrates a computer software system 200 for
directing the operation of the data-processing system 100 depicted
in FIG. 1. Software application 152, stored in main memory 102 and
on mass storage 107, includes a kernel or operating system 151 and
a shell or interface 153. One or more application programs, such as
software application 152, may be "loaded" (i.e., transferred from
mass storage 107 into the main memory 102) for execution by the
data-processing system 100. The data-processing system 100 receives
user commands and data through user interface 153; these inputs may
then be acted upon by the data-processing system 100 in accordance
with instructions from operating system 151 and/or application
152.
[0031] Note that the term module as utilized herein may refer to a
collection of routines and data structures that perform a
particular task or implement a particular abstract data type.
Modules may be composed of two parts: an interface, which lists the
constants, data types, variable, and routines that can be accessed
by other modules or routines, and an implementation, which is
typically private (accessible only to that module) and includes a
source code that actually implements the routines in the module.
The term module may also simply refer to an application such as a
computer program design to assist in the performance of a specific
task such as word processing, accounting, inventory management,
music program scheduling, etc.
[0032] Generally, program modules include routines, programs,
objects, components, data structures, etc., that perform particular
tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Moreover, those
skilled in the art will appreciate that the disclosed method and
system may be practiced with other computer system configurations
such as, for example, hand-held devices, multi-processor systems,
microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics,
networked PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the
like.
[0033] The interface 153, which is preferably a graphical user
interface (GUI), also serves to display results, whereupon the user
may supply additional inputs or terminate the session. In an
embodiment, operating system 151 and interface 153 can be
implemented in the context of a "Windows" system. It can be
appreciated, of course, that other types of systems are possible.
For example, rather than a traditional "Windows" system, other
operation systems such as, for example, Linux may also be employed
with respect to operating system 151 and interface 153. The
software application 152 can include a scheduling module 155 that
can be adapted to control scheduling with respect to the delivery
and airplay of multimedia content, as described in greater detail
herein. The software application 152 can also be configured to
communicate with the interface 153 and various components and other
modules and features as described herein. The module 155, in
particular, can implement instructions for carrying out, for
example, the method 300 depicted in FIG. 3 and/or additional
operations as described herein.
[0034] FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of operations depicting
logical operational steps of a method 300 for defining the
slotted-by-daypart categories when controlling a scheduling order
per daypart category, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments.
The method 300 offers the ability to dynamically schedule
multimedia for a programming day and set such a scheduling order as
a slotted-by-daypart category. The dynamic music scheduling method
can provide for automatic adjustments in playlists or guidance for
a station's music director for manual music placement.
[0035] As illustrated at block 301, the process for controlling a
scheduling order per daypart category can be initiated. Next, as
illustrated at block 302, an operation can be processed to select
multimedia for broadcast. Thereafter, category membership for
multimedia in dayparts is assigned, as illustrated at block 303. As
illustrated in block 304, categories to be scheduled using the
disclosed slotted-by-daypart scheduling technique are specified.
Thereafter, as illustrated in block 305, the multimedia order for
slotted-by-daypart categories is specified. Next, the simulated
plot of multimedia in categories for specific dayparts is reviewed,
as illustrated in block 306. The selected and plotted multimedia is
then broadcasted accordingly throughout the programming day, as
depicted in block 307. The process then terminates, as illustrated
in block 308.
[0036] As indicated above, the method 300 for controlling a
scheduling order per daypart category can be implemented in the
context of a module or group of modules. Such modules include
computer implementable instructions for performing instructions
including the individual operational steps indicated in the various
blocks depicted in FIG. 3. Note that various software applications
and implementations may be configured to provide one or more of the
instructions illustrated in FIG. 3. One possibility involves
configuring a database and associated modules to designate such
scheduling control.
[0037] Other potential design aspects include modifying the daypart
order by exposing the "Slotted-by-daypart" property in a scheduling
order dialog. Note that as utilized herein the term "dialog" refers
to a "dialog box," which is a special feature or window utilized in
the context of a GUI (Graphical User Interface) such as, for
example, the interface 153 of FIG. 2, to display information to a
user, or to obtain a response, if required. A "dialog" refers to a
dialog between a data-processing system such as that described
herein with respect to FIGS. 1-2 and the user. The data-processing
system informs the user of something, requests input from the user,
or both. Such a dialog or dialog box provides controls that allow a
user to specify how to carry out a particular action.
[0038] FIG. 4a illustrates an example of a graphically displayed
table for a slotted-by-daypart scheduling technique 400, in
accordance with the disclosed embodiments. A. broadcast day
consists of twenty-four contiguous hours, normally beginning at
midnight, but can conceivably begin at any arbitrary hour of the
day. The broadcast day can be logically divided into segments,
known as dayparts. A daypart is a block of consecutive hours,
ranging in length from one hour up to twenty-four hours. For
example, dayparts are typically four or five hours long 401. The
broadcast day will consist of approximately, for example, five
different dayparts, but any number and combination of daypart sizes
are allowed 401, 402, as long as the broadcast day is filled with
scheduled multimedia. It is understood that any number of dayparts
with varying length can be assigned throughout a programming
day.
[0039] Multimedia entities such as songs, for example, are assigned
to categories to enable the songs to be scheduled. Within any
broadcast day, songs will be scheduled according to pre-determined
category positions during the broadcast day. At any position in the
schedule designated for a specific category, only songs assigned to
that particular category can be scheduled. Multiple categories may
be scheduled in any daypart.
[0040] The relationship between categories and dayparts is a
virtual one derived from the hour of the day associated with
schedule positions for a particular category and the time period
that a daypart occupies. Multiple categories can be scheduled in
each hour, enabling virtual relationships to be established between
a daypart and each of those categories. Dayparts are scheduled in
chronological order. Schedule positions within each daypart are
scheduled according to the Reverse Scheduling rules established for
each category/daypart pairing. For example, in any category,
dayparts in which the category is scheduled in a forward manner
will be scheduled first in an earliest to latest position order.
Dayparts in which the category is reverse scheduled will be
scheduled last in a latest to earliest position order.
[0041] Categories are also scheduled according to pass order,
wherein the lowest pass order is considered first, and each
category is assigned a pass order. Songs may be re-assigned to
alternate categories in any daypart. Consequently, when scheduling
positions for dayparts in which songs have been assigned to
alternate categories, the scheduler can have an alternate set of
songs from which to select. In any daypart, the set of available
songs may be larger or smaller than the original category
assignment when additional songs are assigned to the original
category. Conversely, the additional songs that would normally be
in this category could be assigned to an alternate category in this
daypart. In any daypart, a particular song may only be assigned to
a single daypart. In practice, this process can be described with
the following example.
[0042] FIG. 4b further illustrates an example of a graphically
displayed table for a slotted-by-daypart scheduling technique 400,
in accordance with the disclosed embodiments. Category A 405 has
five songs assigned in the daypart 10A-2P 403 which occupies the 10
am thru 2 pm hours, and daypart 3P-5P 404 which occupies the 3 pm
thru 5 pm hours. The schedule requires that a single Category A 405
song be scheduled in each of the hours between 10 am and 2 pm,
inclusively. During the 3P-5P daypart 404, there are no alternate
categories assigned, thus allowing all of the 5 songs in Category A
405 to be considered. During the 10A-2P daypart 403, however, 3 of
the 5 songs normally assigned to Category A 405 have been
re-assigned to a different category, resulting in only 2 songs
remaining in Category A 405 during the 10A-2P daypart 403. This
smaller set of songs assigned to Category A 405 in the 10A-2P
daypart 403 will have a higher rotation than the larger set of
songs assigned to Category A 405 in the 3P-5P daypart 404. Songs
are represented as 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, hence song 1 plays in every
alternate hour of the 10A-2P daypart 403 and also in every 5th hour
of the 3P-5P daypart 404.
[0043] To provide a way to allow songs to be scheduled evenly,
categories may also be designated as `slotted-by-daypart.` This
indicates that the scheduling algorithm will employ a method
whereby available songs will be selected in strict rotation. Once
the rotation is established, it will remain the same until altered
by the user, thus forcing an even, predictable distribution of the
available songs during any given daypart. This scheduling algorithm
is typically employed to schedule high turnover songs (i.e.,
categories containing few songs) where a fixed rotation is
desirable.
[0044] The horizontal rotation of songs assigned to Category A 405
in any given daypart must also be protected against a play of the
same song in the same hour in the previous day's daypart. A play of
a song in the same hour of adjacent days is deemed vertical
rotation. Hence, an even vertical rotation of songs is also
desirable. The strict rotation of Category A 405 songs in any given
daypart ensures both a horizontal (i.e., within daypart) and
vertical (i.e., across days) rotation, whereby no song plays
adjacent to itself within a day or in the same hour in adjacent
days. Good horizontal and vertical rotation can be achieved by
seeding the first Category A 405 position in any daypart, known as
the transition period, with a song, which satisfies both horizontal
and vertical adjacency requirements.
[0045] FIG. 4b further illustrates both the horizontal and vertical
rotations, with two songs available in the 10A-2P daypart 403 and
five songs available in the 3P-5P daypart 404. The transition
period of the 3P-5P daypart falls in the 3P hour 407. Because the
Slotted-by-Daypart scheduling technique works by selecting songs
via a simple rotation, whereby filling a schedule position for a
particular category is achieved by selecting the next available
song assigned to that category in a given daypart, it is possible
to create undesirable conditions. For example, when a song is
scheduled in one particular daypart, it may be scheduled adjacent
to the same song in an adjacent daypart, as shown in the 2P/3P 406,
407 transition on Monday 408 and Tuesday 409 in FIG. 4b.
[0046] To prevent this adjacency conflict 410, the song selected to
fill the transition period for a given category in any daypart is
achieved using a different scheduling algorithm to fill the other
Category A 405 positions in any given daypart. In this transition
period, the songs are ordered in a "next due in hour" manner. Songs
which have never played during this transition period in previous
days, or played furthest in the past during this hour in previous
days, will be considered first for scheduling. To avoid any song
adjacency conflicts with previously scheduled dayparts in which the
song may have been previously scheduled, it is possible to reject
the intended song in favor of the next available in the order. The
ordered songs will be considered in turn until a song without
adjacency conflicts is found. On subsequent days, the list will be
re-ordered in a next due fashion again to ensure songs receive
their share of plays in a "particular vertical rotation".
[0047] The adjacency conflict of songs 1 and 2 on Monday 408 and
Tuesday 409 is resolved 415 by selecting the next due song in 3P
407 that has no adjacency conflict. As illustrated in FIG. 4c,
resolving 415 this conflict creates another adjacency conflict 411
of songs 1 and 2 in the 2P/3P transition on Saturday 412 and Sunday
413.
[0048] As illustrated in FIG. 4d, the adjacency conflict on
Saturday 412 and Sunday 413 is resolved 414 by selecting the next
due song in 3P which has no adjacency conflict. The net result of
the protection given to the transition period in 3P is that the
vertical scheduling order will not always be the same as the
horizontal scheduling order. Horizontal rotations are always
optimal in a single broadcast day, as well as over multiple days,
because of the disclosed embodiment's continued attempts to
schedule the next due song in the transition hour. Therefore, the
overall rotations of songs in this hour will even out. Multiple
categories can also be scheduled in this manner. Each category will
have its own transition period in the 3P hour, at which vertical
and horizontal rotations are protected against adjacent song
plays.
[0049] FIG. 5 illustrates a flow chart of operations depicting
logical operational steps of a method 500 for defining categories
and plotting a slotted-by-daypart multimedia schedule, in
accordance with the disclosed embodiments. As illustrated at block
501, the process for scheduling multimedia using a
slotted-by-daypart scheduling technique can be initiated. Next, as
illustrated at block 502, an operation can be processed to
determine if there is a pass order remaining to be scheduled. If no
pass order remains, then the operation ends as illustrated at block
512. Otherwise, the categories designated for the pass order are
selected, as illustrated at block 503. Next, as illustrated at
block 504, an operation can be processed to determine if all
categories on the pass order have been scheduled. If another
category remains, then an operation can be processed to select
dayparts in forward and reverse order for the schedule range, as
illustrated at block 505. If no other categories remain for the
pass, then the scheduling operation skips to block 506, where an
operation can be processed to determine if another daypart still
needs to be scheduled.
[0050] If another day part needs to be scheduled, then an operation
can be processed to select the next unscheduled position in the
daypart for the category, as illustrated at block 507. If there are
no dayparts remaining to be scheduled, then the scheduling
operation skips to block 508, where an operation can be processed
to determine the next unscheduled position in the daypart. It is
then determined whether -the next unscheduled position is a
transition position that affects the rotation, as illustrated at
block 509. If it is a transition position, then an operation can be
processed to select the next due song with proper vertical and
horizontal protection, as illustrated at block 511. If the
transition position does not affect the rotation, then an operation
can be processed to select the next due song in a user-specified
order, as illustrated at block 510. The process then terminates as
illustrated at block 512.
[0051] It will be appreciated that variations of the
above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives
thereof, can be desirably combined into many other different
systems or applications. Furthermore, various presently unforeseen
or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or
improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in
the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following
claims.
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