(12) United States Patent
`Mackintosh et al.
`
`USOO6349329B1
`(10) Patent No.:
`US 6,349,329 B1
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Feb. 19, 2002
`
`(54) COORDINATING DELIVERY OF
`SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS WITH RADIO
`BROADCAST MATERIAL
`
`AA
`(75) Inventors: Gregory B. Mackintosh, Roselle; Mike
`H. Kim, Naperville; Edwin C. Price;
`Edward C. Stojakovic, both of
`Chicago, all of IL (US)
`(73) Assignee: Radiowave.com, Inc., Schaumberg, IL
`(US)
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 09/163,293
`(22) Filed:
`Sep. 29, 1998
`G06F 15/16
`(51) Int. Cl."
`(52) U.S. Cl. ........................ 709/219; 709/217; 709/218
`(58) Field of Search ................................. 709/231, 217,
`709/213, 216, 219, 218: 463/40, 348/473;
`s
`s
`72535. 375130. 705/
`s
`s
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`395/800
`5.204,969 A 4/1993 Capps et al
`r 395/157
`5557,734 A 9/1996 Sampat et al.".
`... 364/514
`5572442 A 11/1996 Schulhof et al. ...
`5,697.844. A 12/1997 Von Kohorn ................ 463/40
`5,699,089 A 12/1997 Murray ....................... 345/902
`5,774,664 A 6/1998 Hidary et al......... 395/200.48
`5,778,187 A
`7/1998 Monteiro et al. ........... 709/231
`5,822,537 A 10/1998 Katseff et al. ......... 395/200.61
`A 'go R s al - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3.
`5922047 A
`7/1999 Newlin et al... 709/217
`5,928,330 A 7/1999 Geotz et al. ................ 709/231
`
`5,931,906 A 8/1999 Fidelibus, Jr. et al. ...... 709/217
`5,949,492 A 9/1999 Mankovitz .................. 348/473
`5,963,916 A 10/1999 Kaplan ........................ 705/26
`5,986,692 A 11/1999 Logan et al. ....
`... 725/35
`6,226.618 B1
`5/2000 Downs et al. ...
`... 705/1
`241-Y/2
`6,154,484 A 11/2000 Lee et al. ................... 375/130
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`EP
`WO
`
`6/1998
`O 847 156 A2
`5/1998
`WO 98/21664
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`International Search Report for PCT/US99/21234.
`Randall E. Stross; “The Microsoft Way :The Real Story of
`How the Company Outsmarts its Competition CopyrightC)
`1996, 1997 by Randall E. Stross, Addison-Wesley; Reading,
`Massachusetts, pp. 142-174.
`Primary Examiner Le Hien Luu
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Foley Hoag & Eliot, LLP
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`A broadcast material delivery architecture provides coordi
`nated inclusion of Supplemental materials with delivered
`broadcast material. A broadcaster broadcasts the broadcast
`materials to a plurality of users, the broadcast material being
`divided into a plurality of Segments. Also broadcast is
`program data associated with the plurality of Segments. A
`user terminal receives the broadcast material from the broad
`caster and retrieving Supplemental materials related to Said
`plurality of Segments of Said broadcast material. To retrieve
`the Supplemental materials, the program data are provided to
`a data Server, which provides parameters for the Supplemen
`tal materials to the user terminal. The user terminal uses the
`parameters to retrieve Supplemental materials from one or
`more databases. The user terminal plays the Supplemental
`materials in conjunction with the broadcast material.
`
`24 Claims, 13 Drawing Sheets
`
`
`
`z--
`
`A
`
`RADO
`STATION
`204
`
`BR
`
`INTERNET
`
`SERVICE
`PROVIDER
`
`i? 208
`
`.
`
`H-1
`
`DATASERVER
`
`
`
`SUPPLEMENTALSERVER
`
`USERTRMINAL
`
`Petitioner
`Ex. 1004 - Page 1
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 19, 2002
`
`Sheet 1 of 13
`
`US 6,349,329 B1
`
`BROADCAST
`PROVIDER
`108
`
`MATERIAL
`SERVER
`120
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`PROGRAM
`PROVIDER
`104
`
`DATA
`SERVER
`116
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`AZ f
`
`Petitioner
`Ex. 1004 - Page 2
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 19, 2002
`
`Sheet 2 of 13
`
`US 6,349,329 B1
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`DELIVER PROGRAM TO USER
`
`DELIVER PROGRAM DATA TODATASERVER
`
`132
`
`134
`
`DATASERVER
`RETRIEVES
`SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL
`
`
`
`DATASERVER RETREIVES
`PARAMETERS AND SENDS
`TO USEREQUPMENT
`
`SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL
`PROVIDED TO USER
`TERMINAL
`
`
`
`
`
`144
`USEREQUIPMENT USES
`PARAMETERS TO
`RETRIEVE SUPPLEMENTAL
`MATERIAL
`
`146
`
`SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL
`PLAYED IN CONJUNCTION
`WITH PROGRAMMATERIAL
`
`
`
`SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL
`PLAYED IN CONJUNCTION
`WITH PROGRAMMATERIAL
`
`AZ2
`
`Petitioner
`Ex. 1004 - Page 3
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 19, 2002
`
`Sheet 3 of 13
`
`US 6,349,329 B1
`
`PROGRAM
`PROGRAM
`PROVIDER
`104
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`DATA
`SERVER
`116
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`ENCODING
`106
`
`BROADCAST
`PROVIDER
`108
`
`USER
`EQUIPMENT
`112
`
`MATERIAL
`SERVER
`120
`
`
`
`A73
`
`Petitioner
`Ex. 1004 - Page 4
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 19, 2002
`
`Sheet 4 of 13
`
`US 6,349,329 B1
`
`PROGRAMMATERIAL DELIVERED TO
`USEREQUIPMENT
`
`162
`
`USEREQUIPMENT DELIVERS PROGRAM
`DATA TODATASERVER
`
`164
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`136
`
`142
`
`DATASERVER
`RETRIEVES
`SUPPLEMENTAL MATERAL
`
`DATASERVER RETREIVES
`PARAMETERS AND SENDS
`TO USEREQUIPMENT
`
`138
`
`SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL
`PROVIDED TO USER
`TERMINAL
`
`
`
`144
`USEREQUIPMENT USES
`PARAMETERS TO
`RETRIEVE SUPPLEMENTAL
`MATERIAL
`
`140
`
`146
`
`SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL
`PLAYED IN CONJUNCTION
`WITH PROGRAMMATERIAL
`
`SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL
`PLAYED IN CONJUNCTION
`WITH PROGRAM MATERAL
`
`Petitioner
`Ex. 1004 - Page 5
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 19, 2002
`
`Sheet 5 of 13
`
`US 6,349,329 B1
`
`
`
`RADIO
`STATION
`204
`
`214
`
`
`
`D
`Broadcast
`INTERNET
`SERVICE
`PROVIDER
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`i? 208
`
`(). "
`
`216
`
`212
`
`AZA
`
`Petitioner
`Ex. 1004 - Page 6
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 19, 2002
`
`Sheet 6 of 13
`
`US 6,349,329 B1
`
`
`
`DELIEVER PROGRAMMATERAL TO A
`BROADCAST SERVICE PROVIDER
`
`222
`
`BROADCAST ENCODED PROGRAM MATERIAL
`TO USER
`
`224
`
`PLAY PROGRAMMATERAL
`
`PROVIDE PROGRAM DATA TO SERVER
`
`SERVER PROVIDES SUPPLEMENTAL
`MATERAL PARAMETERS
`
`226
`
`228
`
`230
`
`USER TERMINAL RETREVES SUPPLMENTAL
`MATERIALS
`
`232
`
`USER TERMINAL PLAYS SUPPLMENTAL
`MATERIALS TO USER
`
`234
`
`Petitioner
`Ex. 1004 - Page 7
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 19, 2002
`Feb. 19, 2002
`
`Sheet 7 of 13
`Sheet 7 of 13
`
`US 6,349,329 B1
`US 6,349,329 B1
`
`
`
`TRACK IMAGE
`
`UL TRAGKINFO
`32
`
`ADVERTISING WINDOW308
`
`ADDITIONAL
`INFORMATION
`
`Petitioner
`
`Ex. 1004 - Page 8
`
`Petitioner
`Ex. 1004 - Page 8
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 19, 2002
`
`Sheet 8 of 13
`
`US 6,349,329 B1
`
`a
`
`s
`
`a
`
`a mo ma
`
`RECEIVE MODULE
`
`: DISPLAY
`410
`------
`
`SPKR
`!-------
`
`412
`
`404
`
`PLAY MODULE
`408
`
`-------
`PERIPH.
`422
`-------
`
`ov
`
`GET DATA
`414
`
`
`
`GET MATERIALS
`418
`
`HISTORY
`420
`
`AZ
`
`Petitioner
`Ex. 1004 - Page 9
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 19, 2002
`
`Sheet 9 of 13
`
`US 6,349,329 B1
`
`
`
`RECEIVE PROGRAMMATERIALS AND
`PROGRAM DATA
`
`442
`
`444
`
`446
`
`448
`
`450
`
`PLAY PROGRAM MATERIAL
`
`STORE PROGRAM DATA
`
`STORE IMAGE ASSOCATED WITH
`PROGRAM DATA AND DISPLAY SAME IN
`HISTORY WINDOW
`
`RETRIEVE SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL
`FOR HISTORIC TRACK UPONUSER
`SELECTION
`
`AZ7
`
`Petitioner
`Ex. 1004 - Page 10
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 19, 2002
`
`Sheet 10 of 13
`
`US 6,349,329 B1
`
`501 V
`
`505
`
`502
`
`506
`
`ON-AIR
`SYSTEM
`
`ENCODER
`
`503
`
`507
`
`508
`
`BROADCAST
`SERVER
`
`509
`
`
`
`511
`
`SUPPORT
`SERVER
`
`512
`
`
`
`FULFILLMENT
`PROVIDER
`SERVER
`
`513
`
`PLAYER
`
`510
`
`Fig. 10
`
`Petitioner
`Ex. 1004 - Page 11
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 19, 2002
`
`Sheet 11 of 13
`
`US 6,349,329 B1
`US 6,349,329 B1
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`Petitioner
`
`Ex. 1004 - Page 12
`
`Petitioner
`Ex. 1004 - Page 12
`
`
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 19, 2002
`
`Sheet 12 of 13
`
`US 6,349,329 B1
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`Petitioner
`Ex. 1004 - Page 13
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 19, 2002
`
`Sheet 13 of 13
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`US 6,349,329 B1
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`Petitioner
`Ex. 1004 - Page 14
`
`

`

`1
`COORDINATING DELIVERY OF
`SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS WITH RADIO
`BROADCAST MATERIAL
`
`The present application is related to copending U.S. Pat.
`applications Ser. No. 09/163,292, titled “System and
`Method For Providing Broadcast Material History,” now
`pending, Ser. No. 09/163,297, titled “System and Method
`For Playing Supplemental Materials With Broadcast
`Material,” now pending, and Ser. No. 09/162,288, titled
`“System and Method For Coordinating Communicaitons
`Network Advertising Material,” now pending, each of which
`are of common assignee and are filed concurrently here with
`and each of which are incorporated herein by reference in
`their entirety.
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`1. Field of the Invention
`The present invention relates generally to broadcast
`materials, and more particularly to a System and method for
`coordinating the delivery of Supplemental information with
`broadcast materials.
`2. Related Art
`The proliferation of processors and processor-based SyS
`tems in recent years has led to a tremendous increase in the
`ability of businesses, industry and individuals to share
`information. Most computers and WorkStations in today's
`homes and offices are connected in Some manner to another
`computer or WorkStation, either locally or remotely. An early
`form of Such inter-connection of computing Systems is the
`local area network (LAN). Using LAN technology, several
`computers, workStations, peripherals, or other related
`devices can be connected to share data among one another
`and to share network resources.
`The Internet can be thought of as an extension of local
`area network technology. The Internet originally began as a
`communication network through which government
`researchers, Scientists and other perSonnel could exchange
`data or other information between offices and facilities
`throughout the World. Eventually, the Internet became acces
`sible to the public. Initially, the public was slow to embrace
`the Internet, and it seemed as if the Internet would remain
`nothing more than a way for a Select group of technologists
`to exchange e-mails and other data or information.
`Eventually, however, entrepreneurs who envisioned the
`growth of the consumer market for Internet Services were
`able to attract a large number of consumers into the fold. AS
`a result, a Sort of Snowball effect ensued in which more and
`more consumers become Internet users, and in turn, more
`and more businesses rushed to get web pages Set up on an
`Internet server. With more businesses offering information,
`products and Services on the Web, more consumers were
`attracted to the Internet. This cycle rapidly fed on itself
`Virtually creating an explosion on the Internet.
`However, the proliferation of the Internet did not stop
`with the provision of web pages to the Internet users, or web
`Surfers. In the true capitalistic Spirit, providers of popular
`web pages found that they were able to Sell advertising Space
`on their web pages. Thus, the Internet became not only a way
`for businesses to advertise their own businesses on their web
`pages, but also a way for advertisers to include their ads on
`others web pages.
`Seemingly overnight, the Internet had transformed into
`the new advertising medium of the decade. Virtually every
`busineSS and industry jumped on to the Internet bandwagon.
`On top of that, hundreds, if not thousands, of new businesses
`
`5
`
`15
`
`25
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`35
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`40
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`45
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`50
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`US 6,349,329 B1
`
`2
`were created to offer Internet-related Services. It seemed as
`if just about everyone was able to capitalize on this new
`medium.
`However, in spite of this proliferation, there were still a
`few business that were left out of the Internet craze. One
`example of Such a busineSS is the radio industry. Although
`stations could offer their own web sites on the Internet, Such
`Sites typically were not popular among the Web Surfers, and
`thus were not a good Source of advertising revenues. Thus,
`even though radio Stations could participate in the Internet,
`their only gains from doing So were PR-related.
`Eventually, enterprising web developerS decided that they
`could offer a mechanism by which one or more radio Stations
`or radio networks could offer their broadcast materials over
`the Internet. One popular Internet Site offering this Service is
`www.broadcast.com, although there are others. While many
`radio Stations have agreed to provide their programming
`acroSS the Internet by Such Service providers, most have
`found that this has not led to an increase their advertising
`revenues. Although these providers offer an excellent Ser
`Vice to radio Stations and their listeners, most advertisers are
`not willing to pay a premium for advertising slots simply
`because the broadcast material is additionally offered to
`listeners over the Internet. Thus, even though these Services
`allowed radio Stations to further participate in the Internet
`related industry, their ability to fully take advantage of
`Internet opportunities is still Somewhat limited.
`Additional background information on the use of com
`puter networks as a broadcast medium is available from
`“BROADCAST AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND
`METHOD,” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/961,314,
`filed Oct. 30, 1997, now pending, and “AUDIO CONTENT
`PLAYER METHODS AND ARTICLES OF
`MANUFACTURE,” U.S. patent application Ser. No.
`08/976,971, filed Nov. 25, 1997, abandoned; both of which
`are fully incorporated by reference herein as though Set forth
`in full.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`The present invention is directed toward Systems and
`methods for providing enhanced features for the delivery of
`broadcast material to a listener, viewer or, more generally, a
`user. According to one aspect of the invention, Supplemental
`materials can be provided to a user in a coordinated fashion
`with the broadcast materials being delivered. The Supple
`mental materials can be provided in a coordinated fashion
`Such that they relate to the actual broadcast materials as they
`are being Streamed or otherwise delivered to the user. For
`example, according to one embodiment, the broadcast mate
`rial is delivered to the user in Segments Such as, for example,
`tracks of music, advertisements, and promotional materials
`in a radio broadcast. In this embodiment, the Supplemental
`materials can be coordinated with the individual Segments
`(e.g., tracks) Such that Supplemental materials relating to the
`Segments can be provided as the Segments are being pro
`vided to the user.
`Supplemental materials can include, for example, images,
`Video clips, audio clips, data, or other materials that may be
`provided to the user in conjunction with the broadcast
`materials. The Supplemental materials can also include
`advertising information that is provided to the user during
`particular Segments of the broadcast material. In one
`embodiment, this advertising information can be coordi
`nated with the particular Segments of the broadcast material
`Such that the value of the advertising is enhanced.
`One example application of this aspect of the invention is
`found in the broadcast of radio broadcast materials over the
`
`Petitioner
`Ex. 1004 - Page 15
`
`

`

`US 6,349,329 B1
`
`1O
`
`25
`
`15
`
`3
`Internet. According to this example application, the radio
`broadcast materials can include a plurality of tracks that can
`be streamed to a user via the Internet. The tracks can include,
`for example, music tracks, advertising tracks, DJ voice or
`introduction tracks, promotional tracks, and any other track
`that a Station my wish to broadcast as part of its broadcast
`material. In one embodiment, the tracks are provided along
`with program data that can indicate, for example, an iden
`tification of the track, the type of track, and other pertinent
`or relevant information regarding the particular track being
`broadcast at that time. This information can be provided to
`an Internet broadcast service provider that “broadcasts” the
`broadcast materials and the program data to the listener's
`Internet terminal.
`The listener receives the broadcast material and the pro
`gram data via the Internet connection and plays it on his or
`her computer, WorkStation or other Internet terminal. This
`can be a web page type player or a downloaded player that
`is resident on the user's terminal. When the user's terminal
`receives a track to be played, the user's terminal takes the
`program data associated with that track and uses that data to
`access one or more Servers to retrieve the Supplemental
`information.
`In one embodiment, the data can be used to access a first
`Server to directly retrieve the Supplemental information to be
`coordinated with the broadcast material. In another
`embodiment, the program data can be used to retrieve
`locational or other identification information from the first
`Server, and use this retrieved information to retrieve the
`Supplemental information from a Second Server. In yet
`another embodiment, Some or all of the Supplemental infor
`mation may be Stored at the listener's terminal. In this case,
`the program data is used to retrieve the Supplemental infor
`mation from local Storage.
`According to another aspect of the invention, a history bar
`can be provided in conjunction with the broadcast material.
`The history bar can be used to display a history of the
`Segments or tracks of the broadcast material that were
`broadcast to the listener or other listeners. The history bar
`can allow the listener or user to retrieve Supplemental
`information about or pertaining to a previous Segment that
`had been broadcast. Thus, if the user wishes to, for example,
`obtain information about a Song track that was played in the
`recent past, or obtain additional information about a product
`that was advertised in the recent past, the user can Select the
`particular item from the history bar, and retrieve this Supple
`mental information.
`In one embodiment, any information or Supplemental
`information that was retrieved during initial playing of the
`Subject track can be saved locally, for example in a circular
`type buffer or a FIFO or LIFO buffer. Thus, this information
`is available to the user without the need to retrieve the
`Supplemental information again from one or more Servers.
`Alternatively, only the program data needs to be stored and
`asSociated with each track. In this alternative, the user
`terminal uses the program data to retrieve the Supplemental
`information. An advantage of the history bar is that it can
`allow the user to in effect go back in time to obtain
`information about a Segment that was played in the past. In
`this manner, the information relating to the Segment is not
`lost to the user once the time for the Segment has past.
`A method and apparatus for facilitating the coordination
`of visual advertisements with audio broadcast material if
`provided in “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COORDI
`65
`NATING COMMMUNICATIONS NETWORK ADVER
`TISING MATERIALS,” Lyon & Lyon Ser. No. 09/163,288,
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`4
`filed on even date herewith and which is owned by common
`assignee, and which is incorporated herein by reference as
`though set forth in full.
`Further features and advantages of the invention as well
`as the Structure and operation of various embodiments of the
`invention are described in detail below with reference to the
`accompanying drawings.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`The present invention is described with reference to the
`accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference
`numbers indicate identical or functionally Similar elements.
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example archi
`tecture for providing Supplemental materials in coordination
`with broadcast materials according to one embodiment of
`the invention.
`FIG. 2 is an operational flow diagram illustrating a
`process for coordinating Supplemental materials with the
`program provided to user equipment according to one
`embodiment of the invention.
`FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an alternative
`embodiment to the architecture illustrated in FIG. 1.
`FIG. 4 is an operational flow diagram describing the
`coordination of Supplemental materials with the broadcast
`material according to the example embodiment illustrated in
`FIG. 3.
`FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the example appli
`cation of the invention in which a radio Station provides its
`broadcast materials to a listener at a user terminal according
`to one embodiment of the invention.
`FIG. 6 is a operation flow diagram illustrating an example
`process by which Supplemental information can be coordi
`nated with the broadcast material in the example application
`illustrated in FIG. 5.
`FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example user interface
`for an example player according to one embodiment of the
`invention.
`FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example functional
`architecture for a player according to one embodiment of the
`invention.
`FIG. 9 is an operational flow diagram illustrating a
`process for implementing a history window according to one
`embodiment of the invention.
`FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example implemen
`tation of an architecture for providing Supplemental mate
`rials with broadcast material.
`FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example Song table
`and provider table according to one embodiment of the
`invention.
`FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example player
`according to one embodiment of the invention.
`FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example computer
`architecture according to one embodiment of the invention.
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`INVENTION
`The present invention is directed toward a System and
`method for coordinating Supplemental materials with broad
`cast materials delivered to a viewer, listener or other pro
`gram user. According to one Specific implementation of the
`invention, the invention is directed toward a System and
`method for coordinating Supplemental information Such as
`advertising and promotional information with a radio Station
`broadcast over the Internet. However, as described below,
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`Ex. 1004 - Page 16
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`S
`alternative embodiments can include the coordination of
`Supplemental materials. Such as images, Video clips, audio
`clips, text, data or other materials with the delivery of
`broadcast material.
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example archi
`tecture for providing Supplemental materials in coordination
`with broadcast materials according to one embodiment of
`the invention. The example embodiment illustrated in FIG.
`1 includes a program provider 104 for providing broadcast
`materials to a user equipment 112. Program provider 104 can
`provide, for example, broadcast materials. Such as a radio
`program, a Video program, or other broadcast materials on
`another program medium. For example, in one embodiment,
`program provider 104 can be a radio Station broadcasting its
`radio program to a number of listeners.
`Program provider 104 can provide its broadcast materials
`directly to a user's user equipment 112 or alternatively, via
`a broadcast provider 108. Broadcast provider 108 may be
`included to allow the broadcast material to be forwarded to
`the user via an alternative medium. For example, in one
`embodiment, an example of a broadcast provider 108 can be
`a Service provider Such as, for example, www.broadcast.com
`that provides radio broadcast materials to user equipment
`112 via the Internet. In this document, the term “broadcast'
`is used to describe the delivery of broadcast materials to one
`or more than one user or other destination via a hard-wired
`or wireleSS communication channel.
`Depending on the broadcast or delivery medium, the user
`equipment can include, for example a processor-based
`System, Such as a personal computer (PC) or other
`processor-based System, having an appropriate communica
`tion interface. In the Internet embodiment described above,
`user equipment 112 can include, for example, an Internet
`terminal having an Internet communication interface.
`In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, program provider
`104 provides information pertaining to the broadcast mate
`rials to a data Server 116. For example, program provider
`104 can provide to data server 116 an identification of the
`broadcast materials that are being broadcast or otherwise
`provided to user equipment 112. This data can be sent in real
`time as the broadcast materials are being broadcast or
`otherwise Sent to user equipment 112. Alternatively, the data
`can be sent in advance of the delivery of the broadcast
`materials. If Sent in advance, the data preferably also
`includes a Schedule for the programming materials. Such that
`Supplemental information associated with the broadcast
`materials can be coordinated with the broadcast materials, as
`discussed below.
`In operation, data Server 116 utilizes the data received
`from program provider 104 to retrieve Supplemental mate
`rials related to the broadcast materials and to provide those
`Supplemental materials to user equipment 112 in coordina
`tion with the broadcast materials. Thus, in one embodiment,
`Data server 116 uses the data from program provider 104 to
`retrieve the associated Supplemental materials from its one
`or more data Storage databases 118 and provide these
`materials to user equipment 112.
`In the context of the radio Station example, data from
`program provider 104 can include event codes identifying
`the item being broadcast to user equipment 112. Event codes
`can be codes indicating, for example, a current Song being
`played, an advertising Spot being played, or other material in
`the Stream of broadcast materials being broadcast by pro
`gram provider 104. Continuing in this example Scenario,
`data Server 116 can retrieve Supplemental information per
`taining to the Specific item of programming being broadcast
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`US 6,349,329 B1
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`Such as, for example, images, Video clips, or textual data
`relating to the material being broadcast.
`In an alternative embodiment, the Supplemental materials
`are not necessarily Stored in databases 118 of data Server
`116. Instead, the Supplemental materials can be Stored in one
`or more external databases 122 associated with one or more
`external servers 120. Thus, also illustrated in FIG. 1 is a
`material server 120 and its associated database 122. In this
`embodiment, when data server 116 uses the data from
`program provider 104 to retrieve locational or other identi
`fication information about the Supplemental information to
`be coordinated with a broadcast. Data server 116 provides
`this locational or identification information to user equip
`ment 112. User equipment 112 then uses this locational or
`other identification information to access server 120 to
`retrieve the associated Supplemental materials from one or
`more material servers 120.
`FIG. 2 is an operational flow diagram illustrating a
`process for coordinating Supplemental materials with the
`program provided to user equipment 112 according to one
`embodiment of the invention. Referring now to FIG. 2, in a
`step 132, program provider 104 delivers its broadcast mate
`rials to user equipment 112. AS Stated above, the broadcast
`materials can be audio, video or other broadcast materials
`including, for example, a radio broadcast, a television
`broadcast, an educational broadcast or other delivery of
`broadcast materials to a user equipment 112. AS illustrated
`in FIG. 1, delivery of the broadcast materials can also be
`accomplished via an intermediary broadcast provider 108. In
`one example, the intermediary broadcast provider 108 can
`be, for example, an Internet provider 108, or other interme
`diary provider.
`In a step 134, program provider 104 delivers data per
`taining to the broadcast materials to data server 116. This
`data can include, for example in one embodiment, data
`identifying the broadcast material or the particular portion of
`broadcast material currently being broadcast to user equip
`ment 112. This data can be provided in real time as the
`broadcast material is being provided to user equipment 112,
`or, alternatively, in advance of delivery of the broadcast
`material.
`AS described above with reference to FIG. 1, there are at
`least two alternative embodiments by which the Supplemen
`tal materials can be provided to user equipment 112 in
`coordination with the broadcast materials. Each of these
`embodiments are described with reference to FIG. 2 and are
`illustrated as parallel flow paths in the diagram of FIG. 2. In
`a Step 136, data Server 116 uses the data from program
`provider 104 to retrieve the supplemental materials from
`data base 118. AS Stated, these Supplemental materials can
`include, for example, audio, Video, image, data, or other
`information.
`In a step 138, data server 116 provides the retrieved
`Supplemental materials to user equipment 112 Such that they
`can be played, displayed, or otherwise provided to the user
`in coordination with the broadcast materials. In one embodi
`ment the data is provided to data server 116 in real time as
`the broadcast material is provided to user equipment 112. In
`this embodiment, data server 116 can simply retrieve the
`Supplemental materials and provide them to user equipment
`112 as the Server receives the data from program provider
`104. Alternatively, where the data is provided by program
`provider 104 in advance of the broadcast material, data
`server 116 can build a schedule for retrieval of the Supple
`mental materials and their delivery to user equipment 112. In
`these or other alternatives, the Supplemental materials are
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`Ex. 1004 - Page 17
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`7
`provided to user equipment 112 Such that they can be
`presented to user equipment 112 in coordination with the
`broadcast materials. In a step 140, the Supplemental mate
`rials can be played, displayed, or otherwise provided to the
`user in coordination with the broadcast materials.
`Referring now to the parallel path of FIG. 2, in a step 142,
`the data server 116 uses the data from program provider 104
`to retrieve Supplemental material parameters from database
`118. These parameters can include, for example, locational
`or other identification information pertaining to the Supple
`mental materials. In one embodiment, this information pro
`vides an identification of where user equipment 112 may
`locate Supplemental materials on another Server Such as, for
`example, Server 120. These retrieved parameters are pro
`Vided to user equipment 112.
`User equipment 112 then uses this information to retrieve
`the Supplemental materials from another location. In one
`embodiment, user equipment 112 access Server 120 to
`retrieve the Supplemental materials from database 122. This
`is illustrated by a step 144.
`This data is now available to user equipment 112 in
`coordination with the broadcast materials. Thus, in a step
`146, the Supplemental materials can be played, displayed, or
`otherwise provided to the user in coordination with the
`broadcast materials. AS with the previous embodiment, data
`from program provider 104 can be presented in real time or
`in advance of the broadcast materials.
`In one embodiment, user equipment 112 can include the
`processing ability to either receive the Supplemental mate
`rials from server 116 and provide them to the user in
`coordination with the broadcast materials or to retrieve the
`Supplemental materials from material Server 120 and pro
`vide them to the user in coordination with the broadcast
`materials. For example, in one embodiment, user equipment
`112 is a computer System capable of receiving information
`via communication links including, for example, the
`Internet, and also capable of retrieving information using
`Similar linkS. Where user equipment 112 is a computer
`System, a player may be provided to the user Such that the
`user equipment 112 can play the broadcast material and the
`Supplemental materials provided from program provider
`104.
`FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an alternative
`embodiment to the architecture illustrated in FIG.1. Accord
`ing to the alternative illustrated in FIG. 3, program data
`relating to the broadcast material is not directly provided
`from program provider 104 to data server 116. Instead, in
`this embodiment, data pertaining to the broadcast materials
`is provided along with the broadcast material