Iheartmedia Management Services, Inc.

Thomas Dacre Drapeau

James M Long, Iii

Travis D Terry

Richard D Wooden

Lasse Hamre

Jeffrey D Zigler

Jacqueline J Lockhart

Kevin R Lockhart

Pablo Calamera

Daniel N MacTiernan

A resource host transmits a payload to a client device. The payload includes a first asset hosted by the resource host, and the first asset is associated with a first reference tag indicating a versioning status of the first asset. The resource host receives an Add Ref Instruction, wherein the Add Ref Instruction, which includes a custom reference tag indicating a user-selected versioning status of the first asset. The resource host associates a second reference tag with the first asset based on the custom reference tag.

Custom reference tag for versioning

A processing device includes processing circuitry and non-volatile storage configured to store management information that identifies supervisor-subordinate relationships among users. The processing circuitry receives a request from a first user, wherein the request includes a request to alter access rights of a second user to a network resource. The processing circuitry establishes authorization of the first user to request access to the network resource based on information included in a directory services database, and retrieves management information associated with the first user and the second user from the non-volatile storage. The processing circuitry determines whether a supervisor-subordinate relationship exists between the first user and the second user based on the management information associated with the first user and the second user, and alters the access rights of the second user to the network resource, at least partly in response to determining that the supervisor-subordinate relationship between the first user and the second user exists.

Resource access based on supervisory-subordinate relationship

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 proxy device receives a resource request from a requestor via a client device. The resource request is associated with a hosted resource, and the hosted resource is associated with a version-control tag. The proxy device determines, based on the version-control tag, information indicating a current state of the hosted resource. The proxy device obtains user management information associated with the requestor, and conditionally dispatches a processed resource request from the proxy device to a resource host based, at least in part, on the current state of the hosted resource and the user management information.

Proxy device that selectively dispatches resource requests

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 device acting as a proxy for an asset host receives a message from a requesting device. The message includes an access request specifying an asset hosted by the asset host. The message includes embedded pipeline language parameters specifying desired asset characteristics of the hosted asset. The proxy routes the access request to the asset host. The asset received in response to the request has characteristics. The proxy compares the asset characteristics of the asset to the desired asset characteristics specified by the embedded pipeline language parameters. In response to a result of the comparison indicating that the asset's characteristics do not match the first desired asset characteristics specified by the embedded pipeline language parameters, the proxy transmits a transformed asset back to the requesting device.

Selectively transforming assets returned by a proxy device

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 system includes a proxy device, a requestor device that communicates with the proxy via a first communications link, and an asset host that communicates with the proxy via a second communications link. The proxy receives receive an access request from a user of the requestor device via the first communication link. The access request is associated with a requested asset hosted by the asset host, and includes pipeline language parameters. Routing information associated with the asset host is determined, and the access request is routed to the asset host in response to verifying that the user is authorized to access the requested asset. The proxy device obtains the requested asset from the asset host, transforms the requested asset based on the pipeline language parameters, and transmits the transformed asset to the requestor device.

Servicing asset requests via proxy

A system includes a proxy device, a requestor device that communicates with the proxy via a first communications link, and an asset host that communicates with the proxy via a second communications link. The proxy receives an access request from a user of the requestor device via the first communication link. The access request includes a request to access a resource hosted by the asset host. The proxy obtains access authorization information associated with the user, and determines whether the user is authorized to access the resource based on the access authorization information. The proxy determines routing information associated with the asset host, and conditionally routes the access request to the asset host via the second communications link based, at least in part, on the access authorization information. The; asset host provides the resource to the requestor device via a third communications link that bypasses the proxy device.

Proxy-controlled request routing

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.

When a user sends a request to access an asset or resource, for example a program code file or a media file, the access request can be processed by a proxy device. The proxy can use directory information obtained from a directory, for example a company-wide Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) directory, to determine whether or not the request is from an authorized network user listed in the directory. The proxy can use management information obtained from another database to determine roles, subordinate assignment information, and access authorization information associated with the requesting user. The proxy can conditionally route the request to a resource host based on the directory information and the management information. The proxy can also transform a resource returned in response to the request by using pipeline language parameters included in a URL associated with the access request.

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.

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Harrison, NY, United States of America

Thomas Dacre Drapeau