Iheartmedia Management Services, Inc.

Michael Lincoln Albl

Jeffrey Lee Littlejohn

Richard D Wooden

Jeffrey D Zigler

Kevin R Lockhart

Jacqueline J Lockhart

Theodore N Myers

Evan A Hill

Tanya R Jellison

A history of user listening patterns associating geographic locations with media stations is stored and used to aid in selecting a media station. If a media station associated with a current geographical location is available, that station can be automatically tuned by a wireless media receiver. If a media station associated with the current location is not available, an alternate media station that is available at the current geographical location can be selected, and the receiver tuned to the alternate station. The alternate station can be an over-the-air (OTA) station or an Internet Protocol (IP) station. A user can be allowed to select between alternate stations having comparable content, or the user can designate a default alternate station. User listening patterns can be used to determine whether a media station is associated a particular geographic location.

Tuning based on historical geographic location

A media receiver identifies attributes of a media station to which the media receiver is currently tuned. The media receiver monitors the signal quality of the media station. If the signal quality of the media station drops below a quality threshold, the receiver chooses an alternate station having similar content, and then tunes to the alternate station until the signal quality of the original station improves. When the signal quality of the original station rises above a re-tune threshold, the receiver can switch back to the original station. The receiver can monitor and record user listening patterns, station-switching patterns, and situational parameters, to identify times or locations at which station switches occur. This information can be used to select appropriate alternative stations, to perform pre-emptive station switches, and to determine when a station's content will be buffered with the expectation that a station's signal will drop below the quality threshold.

Preemptive tuning

Mitigating media station interruptions

Growing community of inventors

Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Michael Lincoln Albl