The present invention is directed to electronic communications, and more specifically to aspects of digital media content acquisition, curation, creation, promotion, distribution, and delivery technology.
Methods, systems, user interfaces, and other aspects of the invention are described. Reference will be made to certain embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in conjunction with the embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to these particular embodiments alone. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents that are within the spirit and scope of the invention. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.
Moreover, in the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without these particular details. In other instances, methods, procedures, components, and networks that are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art are not described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the present invention.
According to certain embodiments, a computer implemented platform is created to support and enhance networking relationships in any multimedia communications industry involving a discrete content provider-distributor network or networks. A “discrete content provider-distributor network” is any system of connections involving one or more parties that may at times provide multimedia content and/or may at times distribute such multimedia content to consumers. The invention integrates a discrete content provider-distributor network by bringing together separate parties in the form of a community and allowing more efficient, more direct, more widespread, and more enhanced connections, communications, interactions, and transactions by and among them.
The multimedia communications industry as referenced herein includes but is not limited to the music industry and its associated discrete networks of multimedia content providers, distributors, and consumers.
According to certain embodiments, such a computer-implemented platform may be a digital platform that includes one or more computer networks such as internets, intranets, extranets or some combination thereof. Such a digital platform may be cloud-based. According to certain other embodiments, the computer implemented platform may be operated within a private network. The network may be a distributed network.
Such a computer-implemented platform also includes software applications, computer servers, computer databases, storage devices, and user interfaces to allow the relevant players in the multimedia communications industry to: 1) network, 2) promote products and services, 3) monetize products and services, 4) engage with each other, 5) engage with each other's followers and/or fans, and 6) broadcast streaming multimedia content (including but not limited to content consumer listening/watching to streaming audio/media content and downloading such content).
According to certain embodiments, categories of users of the digital platform described herein include but are not limited to: 1) artists, 2) venues (including but not limited to owners and managers of such venues), 3) events (including but not limited to promoters, organizers and creators of such events), 4) bloggers, and 5) college radio broadcasters. User categories are herein referred to as user “channels.”
As a non-limiting example, the channels that form a discrete music industry content provider-distributor network include artists, venues, events, bloggers and college radio broadcasters. Artists are the creators of original content (multimedia or single media) that can be distributed, such as through a network. Venue owners manage physical establishments that allow artists to showcase the artist's work (music, music videos etc.) to audiences, followers, and fans. Event promoters or entertainment promoters market and create interest in live events such as concerts, festivals, etc. For example, event promoters work with venues to organize events that range from small parties in local venues to multi-day festivals in big open spaces. Bloggers write artist reviews to showcase artists, artist's work, music bands, DJs, sound tracks, music videos, etc. College radio broadcasters are stations that are useful for discovery of primarily up-and-coming artists and “indie” bands (i.e., independent music or bands that are generally not affiliated with a major record label). Thus, college radio broadcaster stations generally tend to provide a distribution system for new artists.
According to certain embodiments, each of the aforementioned categories of users, or channels, can use the computer-implemented platform described herein to create one or more “stations” to broadcast streaming multimedia or single media content to consumers.
According to certain embodiments, multimedia content can include sound, or image, or animation, or video, or text, or graphics, or any combination thereof. Thus, the embodiments include the use of single media content such as only audio, or only video or only text, or only graphics or only image. Further, at least a subset of stations or channels is not restricted to broadcasting only one particular form of content. For example, a particular station may broadcast multimedia content some of the time and may broadcast single media content at other times. For convenience, the term “content” as used herein can mean multimedia content or single media content.
A station can integrate and program for broadcasting its own content or content created by other stations, depending on the access rights attached to the content as described in greater detail with reference to
According to certain embodiments, each of the aforementioned categories of users can use the computer-implemented platform described herein for 1) creating broadcasting stations, 2) curating multimedia content, 3) searching multimedia content, 4) creating multimedia content, 5) promoting multimedia content, 6) acquiring multimedia content, 7) distributing multimedia content amongst broadcasting stations, 8) discovering multimedia content, 9) streaming multimedia content to consumers, 10) interacting amongst broadcasting stations and consumers, and 11) monetizing multi or single-media streams. The categories of users can also use the platform to monetize products and services.
According to certain embodiments, each “station” is associated with a computer-implemented content “locker” that is described in greater detail with reference to
Such broadcaster messages and consumer messages are described in provisional application entitled “Multi-Level Media Communications Content and Message Delivery and Response” by Kevin Liao et al., and having Application Ser. No. 61/757,211, and which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
For ease of explanation,
According to certain embodiments, a given content locker includes but is not limited to a shout-out communication interface (330, 337), locked station content module (331, 338), unlocked station content from “my station” module (332, 339), acquired unlocked content acquired from “other stations” module (333, 340), content data compilation module (334, 341), monetization module (335, 342), and content creation module (336, 343). The modules represent software/hardware/middleware application logic rather than actual modules.
The station holder (station “Administrator”) can upload to the “locked station content” module (331, 338) content to which the station owner owns proprietary rights or has an obligation to preserve someone else's proprietary rights (e.g., royalty-bearing content). For example, the station holder can upload song tracks or music video or other content that the station holder does not want to share with other stations via “side-loading” and does not want others to download such content (e.g., the holder has “locked” such content). However, the station holder can include such content for creating media streams (314, 322) for streaming to content consumers 315. Side-loading involves “pulling” or “pushing” content from or to other stations and is described in greater detail herein with reference to
To further explain by way of example, in certain embodiments, a song track that is authorized for side-loading or downloading in one station can be accessed by content consumers (e.g., listeners) of other stations for both listening and downloading. Further, any station holder and any listener (content consumer) may trace the path of each item of side-loaded content in the network of stations 300 through a user interface described in greater detail with reference to
A station or a content consumer (listener) can also create and send shout-outs (302, 317) and send shout-backs (302, 317) to stations by using the communication interface (330, 337). Further, a station holder has the option of sharing the shout-out/shout-back content with other stations by uploading (318, 304) such content to module (333, 340).
Thus, a station holder can create interesting media streams for broadcasting by selectively integrating content from all or a subset of the modules in the locker.
The locker application can also be used to manage a station. For example, a station Q can use the content data compilation module (334, 341) to see statistical information such as but not limited to: 1) the number of stations that have side-loaded content from station Q, 2) how many songs or other content have been downloaded, 3) consumer feedback (360, 361), 4) consumer ratings of the station, 5) consumer interaction, 6) proportion of locked content to unlocked content at the station, 7) consumer ratings of content, 8) donations from consumers or other stations, etc. According to certain embodiments, some of the information from content data compilation module (334, 341) may be used for creating media streams (314, 322) for streaming to content consumers 315. According to certain embodiments, a station can be associated with a “value” or rating based on but not limited to consumer feedback and/or ratings, content and station usage information, and information revealing various other aspects of the station's interactions through the integrated provider-distributor network such as content acquired, promoted, distributed, etc. According to certain embodiments, the higher the “value” of a station, the higher it ranks in search results presented to a user performing a search for content, or for stations from which to pull content, or to which to push content, for example.
According to certain embodiments, the locker application aids in collecting data for each station and assigns a “value” with several practical applications for both in-app and out-of-app activities. For example, a highly valued station can appear in front of listeners on the station's interface more frequently; be featured more prominently to enable other stations to choose which pushed tracks to accept to a station; while also being a target for businesses and other parties looking to do business with the station holder.
The locker application can also be used to monetize products and services. A station can use the monetization module (335, 342) to access monetization opportunities including but not limited to: 1) fee payments, (e.g., subscription fees, content download fees, broadcast fees, station fees, etc.), 2) brand sponsorship access, 3) merchandizing, 4) event ticketing, and 5) other monetization methods.
An example of a commercial use involves the multimedia communications industry. A station can determine which content and at what price the content can be accessed by a consumer. There can be a price per item of content or for a stream of various content. For example, station X can set a price for accessing to a stream of content associated with station X using various options. Options may include but are not limited to: 1) a “name-your-price” access rate, 2) a specified “fixed-price” access rate, and 3) a specified “minimum-price” access rate. Similarly, each song track or content unit that is enabled for download or is created using the “content creation” module (336, 343) described below may be designated by the station for access by a listener (content consumer) on “name-your-price,” “fixed-price,” or “minimum price” terms.
According to certain embodiments, brand sponsorship access can provide monetization opportunities. For example, advertisers may want to target their outreach (e.g., marketing) efforts to reach a calculable number of consumers of specific stations for a specified period of time. In the music industry, the monetization module (335, 342) and other modules can provide a customized and automated platform to allow advertisers (e.g., businesses) to purchase for such consumers, a right to access certain stations for a limited time period. Such access may be referred to as a “pass.”
The “content creation” module (336, 343) enables stations to create original content by allowing “in-app” (using the platform described herein) recordings. This can be done through the client device microphone or any input ports connected to a mixer. This content can be distributed live (321, 313) to content consumers (e.g., followers or fans) or stored (320, 319, 312, 311) in the lockers and can also be monetized, including by using methods such as subscriptions and downloads.
According to certain embodiments, the locker application provides an interactive user interface to content consumer to perform searches. To explain in the context of the music industry content provider-distributor network example described above, integrated into the search results is both music and event data. All the categories of stations/channels will produce a search result targeted to each specific search. For example, an artist search may display to the listener the original artist station; followed by artist stations that have “side-loaded”content from the original artist; venues (stations) where the artist is scheduled to perform or has performed; venue stations that have “side-loaded” content from the original artist; events (stations) where the artist is scheduled to perform or has performed; Blogs, and college broadcaster radio stations that have “side-loaded” content from the original artist.
The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, the illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/775,583 filed Mar. 9, 2013, entitled, “Integrated Content Provider-Distributor Network,” by Fonarev et al., and which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61775583 | Mar 2013 | US |