Iheartmedia Management Services, Inc.

Vonage America Inc.

Pablo Calamera

Lasse Hamre

Richard D Wooden

Jeffrey D Zigler

Kevin R Lockhart

Jacqueline J Lockhart

Thomas Dacre Drapeau

Daniel N MacTiernan

Michael R Moss

Matthew Fielder

Ryan R Sult

Steven F Radley

Deepak Ottur

Rohan Dwarkha

A first server controls insertion of media content into a media stream, and transmits the media stream from the first server to a media player. The first server also transmits, to a second server, information linking a particular consumer to both a third-party service and to the media player. Control of inserting media content into the media stream is passed from the first server to the second server. The second server receives consumer-specific content associated with the particular consumer from the third-party service, and maps the consumer-specific content to the media player based, at least in part, on the information linking the particular consumer to both the third-party service and to the media player. The second server then inserts the consumer-specific content into the media stream during a time period the second server is in control of inserting media content into the media stream.

Passing control of inserting third-party content into a media stream

A device includes a processor that is configured to identify a base topic of a personalized media stream and to identify a first media item based on first data. The first data is assigned a first weighting based on an identified level of familiarity associated with the first media item and an identified level of popularity of the first media item in another personalized media stream. The processor is configured to build a collection of candidate media items that includes the first media item and a second media item and to order the collection of candidate media items to form the personalized media stream. Ordering the collection includes ordering the first media item within the collection based on the first weighting. The processor is configured to initiate transmission of the first media item to a client device for playback based on ordering of the first media item within the collection.

Multi-input playlist selection

A processing device implementing a streaming media service determines that a user has logged-in to the streaming media service, and retrieves, from a storage device, a user-specified location preference. The user-specified location preference indicates that a user has selected between receiving perishable content associated with a specified static location and perishable content associated with a current user location. a processing device included in a media delivery platform, obtains perishable content items selected in accordance with the user-specified location preference, assembles the perishable content items into an add-in block, and delivers the add-in block to the streaming media service. The streaming media service inserts the add-in block into a media stream associated with the user, and delivers the media stream to a user device.

Customized perishable media content based on user-specified preference for static or variable location

A media automation system generates multiple instances of a media broadcast stream, which includes core content common to each of the instances of the media broadcast stream, and multiple spot blocks interspersed within the media broadcast stream. Each stream instance is associated with a particular media playout device. A user notification is received and a packaged user notification is generated for inclusion in a particular instance of the media broadcast stream. Packaging the user notification includes obtaining first account information associated with a media delivery platform account of a user associated with a particular media playout device, and second account information associated with a consumer notification service account of the user. The user notification is mapped to the particular media playout device based on the first and second account information, and the packaged user notification is inserted into a first available spot block of the particular instance of the media broadcast stream.

Mapping user notifications to specific media streams

A method includes receiving, at a proxy server, a first request for advertising content from a computing device. The first request is responsive to display of an e-mail directed to an e-mail address of a user and received by the computing device. The first request includes an identifier uniquely identifying the user and the e-mail. An application of the computing device associated with presentation of the advertising content does not support local storage of cookies. The method includes generating the cookie at the proxy server in response to determining that a cookie managed by the proxy server and associated with the identifier is unavailable. The method also includes sending, from the proxy server to an advertising server, a second request that includes at least a portion of the cookie. The method also includes receiving the advertising content from the advertising server and sending the advertising content to the computing device.

E-mail based dynamic advertising

A method includes receiving, at a proxy server, a first request for content from a computing device. The first request includes an identifier that uniquely identifies a user and an e-mail. The method also includes, in response to receiving the first request, sending a second request to a first server. The second request includes at least a portion of a cookie associated with the identifier. The method also includes receiving the content at the proxy server from the first server and sending the content from the proxy server to the computing device. The method further includes, subsequent to receiving the first request, determining, at the proxy server, information regarding resolution of dynamic links associated with the content. The information includes a count of a number of times that the content has been accessed outside a time to live (TTL) of the cookie by web browsers or by e-mail clients.

Media consumers can elect to have local news, weather, traffic, or other perishable content inserted into customized media streams. The perishable content is inserted into the media stream as an add-in block containing items associated with a particular locale that matches a user location source preference. The user can specify a static location source preference, or a follow-me, or roaming preference, in which the user's current location is used. The perishable content is selected for inclusion in an add-in block by matching a user's location preference to a locale associated with the perishable content.

A device includes a processor and an interface. The processor is configured to identify a base topic of a personalized media stream. The processor is also configured to identify a first media item based on first data from a first source. The first data is assigned a first weighting of the first source based on an identified level of familiarity associated with the base topic and an identified level of popularity in another personalized media stream. The processor is also configured to build a collection of candidate media items that includes the first media item and a second media item. The processor is further configured to order the collection of candidate media items to form the personalized media stream. Ordering the collection includes ordering the first media item within the collection based on the first weighting. The interface is configured to communicate the personalized media stream to a client device.

A method includes receiving, at a proxy server, a first request for advertising content from a computing device, where the first request includes an identifier and where the first request is associated with an e-mail received by the computing device. The method also includes determining whether state information associated with the identifier is available. The method further includes, in response to determining that the state information associated with the identifier is unavailable, generating the state information associated with the identifier at the proxy server. The method also includes sending a second request for the advertising content from the proxy server to an advertising server, where the second request includes at least a portion of the state information associated with the identifier. The method also includes receiving the advertising content from the advertising server. The method further includes sending the advertising content to the computing device.

A live media broadcast includes core content streamed to multiple users. While all consumers can be presented with the same core content, each individual consumer can be provided with individually customized content from various notification services during commercial breaks. For example, while one consumer can be provided with customized banking updates from her bank account during part of a commercial break, during that same commercial break another user might be provided with social media notifications or reminders from his calendar. Notifications or updates can be received in a text format and converted to an audio or other suitable format at an ad server, and delivered to a media automation system for insertion into a media stream in a way that integrates notifications into the listening or viewing experience without interrupting presentation of the core content.

Live media stream including personalized notifications

A communications adaptor comprising an adaptor first port; an adaptor second port; an adaptor third port; and a processor. The adaptor first port is configured to connect to an analog communications line. The adaptor second port is configured to connect to a data network. The adaptor third port is configured to connect to an analog telephony device. The processor is configured to determine that a first call setup request signal has been received at the adaptor first port. The processor is further configured, subsequent to such determination: (1) to transmit a second call setup request signal over the adaptor second port to an Internet Protocol (IP) telephony system over the data network; and (2) to transmit a third call setup request signal over the adaptor third port.

Communications adaptor for use with internet telephony system

Adding perishable content to media stream based on user location preference

A computer-implemented process comprises identifying, by a computer server system, a base topic for a personalized media stream for a user of a computer system; identifying, with the computer server system, a plurality of media items associated with the base topic using a plurality of different and independent categories of media categorization data, wherein each of the categories of media categorization data is assigned a weighting; building a collection of candidate media items from the identified plurality of media items; ordering the collection of candidate media items to form a personalized media stream; and providing the ordered collection of candidate media items for playing to the user.

Growing community of inventors

New York, NY, United States of America

Pablo Calamera