Patent · US Active

Multimedia scheduler

US7937488B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
133References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 11, 2008
Grant dateMay 3, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 7, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S715/963
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A song and ad scheduler supporting clip-based and stream-based scheduling of multimedia items generates several hours of schedule in advance. Having multiple channel capability, the scheduler uses as inputs: the channel, associated playlists, rotation pattern for the channel, and associated programming rules to produce a schedule of multimedia items for the channel. Initially, the scheduler produces a schedule for each channel of predetermined length; then it periodically revisits the channel to add more songs, keeping the schedule to the desired length. Length of the initial playlist is configurable. The scheduler uses a producer-consumer model for distributing work. Producer threads periodically scan the system for work to be done. When a producer thread encounters work to be done, e.g. adding to the schedule of a channel, the producer thread places a work request into a queue. Worker threads consume the work requests by fulfilling the requested work.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.