WO2016004478A1

WO2016004478A1 - Method and platform for handling audio content

Info

Publication number: WO2016004478A1
Application number: PCT/AU2015/050386
Authority: WO
Inventors: Anthony GHERGHETTA; Steve AHERN; Daniel Laforest
Original assignee: Rewind Radio Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2014-07-08
Filing date: 2015-07-08
Publication date: 2016-01-14

Abstract

There is disclosed a method of handling audio content. The method includes receiving broadcast audio content from subscribed broadcasters, saving the received broadcast audio content and providing access to a audio consumers to the saved audio content from the broadcasters. The consumers can make clips from the saved content, and can share it with others, for example using social media sites.

Description

METHOD AND PLATFORM FOR HANDLING AUDIO CONTENT

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method of, and platform for, handling audio content. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Traditional radio broadcasts are transmitted to and received by listeners. However given the transient nature of these transmissions, once sent they may be regarded as having disappeared.

In recent times many radio stations have begun sharing audio content on websites and social media sites. This may, for example, be done as a mode of marketing (for instance for popular-music radio stations), or as a way to reach audiences outside of the normal broadcast transmission areas (for instance in the case of public broadcasters).

However, the process of such sharing is often labour intensive, time-consuming and cumbersome, involving numerous platforms. For example, the process usually requires that the audio content be recorded - either from a live broadcast or from an in-house logging platform. In addition, the recorded content typically needs to be edited and formatted. Furthermore, it usually needs to be uploaded to a distribution platform, and then shared via appropriate networks such as social media sites.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate disadvantages of the prior art or to provide a useful alternative. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of handling audio content, the method including: 1 .1 receiving broadcast audio content from each of a plurality of subscribed broadcasters;

1 .2 saving at least a portion of the received broadcast audio content from each of the subscribed broadcasters; and

1 .3 providing access, to a plurality of audio consumers, to at least one portion of the saved audio content from each broadcaster.

In a preferred embodiment, the method includes a step before step 1 .1 , of enabling a plurality of audio content broadcasters to subscribe as said subscribed broadcasters.

Preferably, the step of enabling a plurality of audio content broadcasters to subscribe includes enabling each of said audio content broadcasters to determine respective parameters of the respective audio content broadcaster's subscription.

In a preferred embodiment, step 1 .2 includes saving up to a predetermined maximum duration of received broadcast audio content from at least one of the plurality of subscribed broadcasters.

In a preferred embodiment, in step 1 .1 , the received audio content has been broadcast via internet streaming.

In a preferred embodiment, step 1 .3 includes providing said access to at least one portion of the saved audio content from each broadcaster according to parameters determined by the respective broadcaster.

In a preferred embodiment, step 1 .3 includes enabling each of said plurality of audio consumers to select at least one segment of said at least one portion of the saved audio content from each broadcaster and to create at least one audio clip of at least one of the selected segments.

Then, preferably, the method includes enabling each of the plurality of audio consumers to select said at least one segment of said at least one portion based on the particular broadcaster by which the respective at least one portion has been broadcast.

Preferably, the method includes the step of enabling each of the plurality of audio consumers to share, with at least one other person, via internet transmission, at least one clip of the at least one clip, the at least one shared clip having been created by the respective audio consumer.

Preferably, the method includes providing a computer platform interface for enabling the plurality of audio consumers to effect said sharing.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a computerised platform for handling audio content, the platform including:

an audio input interface adapted to receive broadcast audio content from each of a plurality of subscribed broadcasters;

a memory component configured for saving received broadcast audio content from each of the subscribed broadcasters; and

at least one consumer interface for providing access, to a plurality of audio consumers, to at least one portion of audio content from each broadcaster saved by said memory component.

In a preferred embodiment, the platform includes a subscription interface configured for enabling a plurality of audio content broadcasters to subscribe as said subscribed broadcasters.

Preferably, the subscription interface is configured for enabling each of said audio content broadcasters to determine respective parameters of the respective broadcaster's subscription. In a preferred embodiment, the memory component is configured to save up to a predetermined maximum duration of received broadcast audio content from at least one of the plurality of subscribed broadcasters. In a preferred embodiment, the audio input interface is configured to receive broadcast audio content that has been broadcast via internet streaming.

Preferably, the platform is configured to provide said access to the plurality of audio consumers via the consumer interface according to parameters input to the platform by the respective broadcasters via the subscription interface.

In a preferred embodiment, the consumer interface includes at least one control to enable each of said plurality of audio consumers to select at least one segment of said at least one portion of the saved audio content from each broadcaster and to create at least one audio clip of at least one of the selected segment.

The, preferably, the consumer interface includes at least one control to enable each of said plurality of audio consumers to select said at least one segment of said at least one portion based on the particular broadcaster by which the respective at least one portion has been broadcast.

Preferably, the platform includes a sharing interface configured for enabling each of the audio consumers to share, with at least one other person, via internet transmission, at least one of said at least one clip, the at least one shared clip having been created by the respective audio consumer.

In this specification, unless the context indicates otherwise, a references to buttons or links are references to web page hyperlinks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a flow diagram representing a platform according to an embodiment of the invention, in terms of a method of handling audio content; and Figures 2 to 14 are examples of web page displays of a platform website according to that embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A preferred embodiment of the invention involves the use of a platform 10 as represented by the flow diagram in Figure 1 , the platform being controlled by at least one computer (not shown). The platform 10 is configured to capture ("ingest") audio content from streaming radio broadcasts of subscribed broadcasters, to store that content, and to enable access to that content by users, and the distribution or sharing of that content by the users.

The platform 10 includes three main components: an ingestion component 12, an audio management component 14, and a delivery component 16.

The platform 1 0 is connected to the internet and is configured to be accessible to broadcasters and users by interfaces in the form of web pages of an internet website of the platform, referred to below as the platform website. According to the preferred embodiment, in order for a particular broadcaster to make use of the platform 10, the broadcaster must subscribe to use the platform.

Referring to Figure 2 there is shown a screenshot of a homepage 18 of the platform website, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The homepage 18 includes a number of hyperlinks 20 on the left-hand side, a number of hyperlinks 22 on the right-hand side, and displays of up to three audio tracks or clips 24 that have been saved by users of the platform 10, namely audio consumers.

At the bottom right hand side of the homepage 1 8 is an "Add your station" button 26 to enable broadcasters to access relevant pages on the platform website, to allow those broadcasters to subscribe for using the platform 1 0. A broadcaster may be a single radio station, or a radio station network which includes a number of radio stations. Accordingly, in this specification, a reference to both a radio station and to a network is to be taken as a reference to a broadcaster.

When a person representing a broadcaster, and who is browsing the platform website, clicks on the "Add your station" button 26 on the home page 18, another web page 28 opens as shown in Figure 3, for initiating the process for that broadcaster's station to be added as a subscriber to use the platform 1 0.

That web page 28 includes a data entry box 30 into which the broadcaster can type or paste the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of a live streaming broadcast of its station, in order to test whether that streaming broadcast will be successfully received by the platform 1 0.

Once the URL is entered, the broadcaster can click on the "test" link (button) 32 on that web page to test it, and if there is a successful result - i.e. if the streaming broadcast is properly received by the platform 1 0 - can then click on the "continue" button 34 to cause the next web page to open. An example of such a next web page 36 is shown in Figure 4.

As can be seen, in the web page 36, there are various data entry boxes 38 into which details of the broadcaster can be entered, such as the name of the broadcaster's radio station, details of the website and location of the broadcaster, and details of the person (administrator) that will have access to the platform 10 in order to enter and modify details of the broadcaster.

Where a broadcaster is a network having a number of different radio stations, the subscribing can be done by that network in relation to all of the stations at the same time.

Once all of those details are entered, when the administrator clicks on the "Continue" button 39, the platform 10 is adapted to cause a next web page 40 to open as shown in Figure 4. That page 40 is for confirming that an email (not shown) has been sent to that administrator with instructions for the following steps to be taken in order to activate the particular broadcaster's subscription account with the platform 1 0.

In this manner, broadcasters can subscribe to use the platform 10.

Referring to Figure 6, there is shown an example of a web page 42 on the platform 10, in which a number of different subscribed broadcaster radio stations 44 are listed.

As can be seen, the web page 42 includes columns 46 indicating, for each radio station 44, the following:

• an identification number,

» the name of the station,

• a description of the network of that station (where the station is part of a network),

• the status of that station in relation to the platform (e.g. whether the station has an active or non-active subscriber status),

· the status of the streaming broadcast of the station to the platform (e.g. whether the broadcast is capable of being successfully streamed, in which case the status may, for instance, be indicated as "ok"),

• the date that that station was established as a subscriber (created) on the platform,

· the nature of the subscription (e.g. whether it is a professional or nonprofessional subscription), and

• the role of the person that has rights to access the profile of that station as saved or stored on the platform (e.g. administrator). The links 22 on the right hand side of the homepage 18 are also shown on this page 42, and include a link 22.1 to enable a particular broadcaster to log into the platform 10, a link 22.2 to enable a person such as an administrator of a broadcaster to join the platform as a person with logon rights, a link 22.3 to enable a broadcaster to access its account details on the platform, a link 22.4 to enable the broadcaster to display all of the stations that fall within the network of that broadcaster, and a link 22.5 for an administrator of the platform. The platform 1 0 is configured such that, once a radio station 44 or broadcaster has subscribed in the manner described above, the streaming broadcasts of that station can be received via Internet transmission, and captured ("ingested") by the platform. As shown in the ingestion component 1 2 of the block diagram of Figure 1 , the platform 10 is adapted to enable not only streaming content to be ingested by the platform, as indicated at 48, but also content (referred to as "audio encoder"), as indicated at 50, which is uploaded to the platform by a station (rather than simply allowing that station's streaming content to be ingested).

However, that particular feature, while being a feature according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, is a subsidiary feature to the feature by which the platform 1 0 is capable of ingesting streaming content. The ingestion component 12 of the platform 1 0 may be regarded as an audio input interface for receiving the audio content from the broadcasters.

The process of ingesting that content, however it is provided to the platform, is indicated at 52 within the ingestion component 12.

The platform 1 0 includes a storage memory component 54 as part of the audio management component 14, which is adapted for storing cached streaming audio content. According to a preferred embodiment, for each subscribed radio station 44, the platform 1 0 is adapted to cache up to a certain predetermined maximum period of time of audio content within the storage component 54, preferably 48 hours, at no charge to the station. Such a length of time is considered sufficient for users to access that cached audio content, and to create audio clips from that content that they may wish to share, as described below.

Further according to a preferred embodiment, the platform 10 is adapted such that those stations 44 that wish to have their raw audio content maintained in the storage memory 54 of the platform for longer periods may set those times as parameters of the respective stations' subscriptions, for a standard fee.

Radio stations often have to or wish to log all of the audio content that they broadcast. This is often a regulatory requirement and is also often required or useful in order for the stations to be able to access the audio content that they have broadcast. The typical way of doing this currently is with an audio logging machine located at the radio station. In the past this was done using analog tape recording machines but these days it is normally done using computers that record all transmitted audio content. The platform 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention may be used as an alternative means of achieving this function. Indeed, broadcasters can even use the platform 10 as their primary logging platform. The platform 10 is configured to allow users to access the platform, and more specifically, to access audio content that is saved in the platform after having been ingested.

The question of which users, or which classes of users, may access the platform 10 in this manner may be controlled on the platform 10 by the respective radio stations 44 as part of the parameters of their subscriptions.

For example, some radio stations 44 may determine that certain portions of their stored audio content may be accessed by certain specific listed users, or certain users that fall into one or more particular class (for example, users whose addresses are within the bounds of certain areas or postcodes, users that are subscribers to the particular radio stations, staff members of the stations as opposed to the public, etc). The platform 1 0 is also adapted to enable users to obtain audio content to share. In order to do so, the users can navigate on the platform website to the relevant radio stations 44 or radio shows or audio content of relevant presenters, using the links 20 on the left hand side of the home page 18 as shown in Figure 2.

For example, a user can click on the "Favourite stations" link 20.1 thus causing the a web page 58 to appear as illustrated in Figure 7. As can be seen, that page 58 displays details 60 of certain radio stations 44 that are regarded as "favourite stations" further filtered according to a drop-down filter list 62 at the top right hand side of that screen display 58.

In particular, the options (criteria) provided in that drop down list 62 according to one preferred embodiment are stations 44 which are popular among users generally (as indicated by the word "popular" as shown in Figure 7); stations which have most recently been accessed by users; and stations having content which is listened to the most by users.

In a similar manner, selections can be made by using the "favourite shows" link 20.2 on the links 20 on the left hand side of the home page 1 8, to cause a web page 64 to open as shown in Figure 8. The web page 64 enables the displaying of details 66 of those shows (as opposed to stations) which are regarded as "favourite shows", further filtered according a drop down list 68 on that page, which provides the same criteria as in the drop-down list 62 on the web page 58 for the favourite stations.

In a similar manner, selections can be made using the "favourite presenters" link 20.3 on the left hand side of the home page 18 as shown in Figure 2. In addition, the links 20 on the left hand side of the home page 1 8 include an "explore" link 20.4 which, when clicked, will display a page (not shown) allowing a user to search various different stations, programs and content. The displayed page may also list suggested audio clips, programs or other content, based on each respective user's past listening histories, stations subscribed to, etc. It will be noted that at the top of each web page is a search box 70, enabling a user to enter keywords in order to attempt to locate desired radio stations 44, or radio shows, or shows or audio content of desired presenters.

The manner in which a user can obtain an audio clip is now described with reference to the "favourite stations" link 20.1 on the left hand side of the home page 18 as shown in Figure 2. As mentioned above, if a user clicks on that link 20.1 , a web page 58 will open as shown in Figure 7. That page 58 display shows details 60 of various radio stations 44. For each of the stations 44 there is provided a link 72 which the user can click. If the user selects a particular station 44 by clicking on such a link 72 relating to that station, another web page 74 will open as shown in Figure 8. The web page 74 provides a display representing a list of audio clips 76 from that station 44 that have been created and saved by other users in an audio clips storage memory 73 forming part of the management component 14 of the platform 1 0 as shown in Figure 1 .

If the user wishes to create his or her own clip 76, the user can click on the "create a clip" link 78 at the top right hand side of that page 74 which causes another web page 80 to open, as shown in Figure 1 0.

According to the preferred embodiment as shown in Figure 9, the "create a clip" link 78 is located on the page 74 of the selected station 44 from which the user wishes to create a clip, on the platform 10. According to another embodiment, a similar link may be provided on a website of the radio station itself.

The web page 80 as shown in Figure 10 displays the name of the selected station 44 at a position 82, and a clip-creation box 84 entitled "Step 1 : Select the approximate start time and end time". That box 84 is the first in a set of stepwise instructions for the user to enable the user's clip 76 to be created. The box 84 includes data entry boxes 86 and 88 in which the user can enter the start date and time of the clip 76 to be created on the particular radio station 44, as well as the end date and time of such a clip. In this manner, the user can select the desired clip - i.e. the clip which was broadcast in that selected time period.

Once that information is entered, the user can click on the "next" button 90 which causes a further clip-creation box 92 to be displayed on that web page 80, entitled "Step 2: Trim" as shown in Figure 1 1 .

In this box 92 there is provided an instruction (not shown) that the user can use the space bar on the user's keyboard to cause the audio content of the selected clip 76 to be played for the user to hear that content.

In addition, there is an instruction (not shown) stating that the user can use the left and right arrows on the keyboard to control the movement of left and right slider controls 98 and 1 00, respectively. These slider control 98, 1 00 enable the user to determine which segment of that audio content is to remain and which is to be trimmed off. Thus, all content to the left-hand side of the left-hand slider control 98 as shown in Figure 1 1 will be deleted (trimmed off), as will all content on the right-hand side of the right hand control 1 00.

The "Step 2: Trim" box 92 also enables the user to type in the relevant start point (for example 0.01 seconds) and endpoint (for example 5 minutes) rather than determining the start and end points of the clip 76 using the slider controls 98, 100.

Once the user has finished with this process, he or she can click on the "next" button 1 02 thereby causing a further clip-creation box 104 to appear on the web page 80 as shown in Figure 12, entitled "Step 3: Create". This box 1 04 includes within it data entry boxes 106 in which the user can enter information including meta information regarding the trimmed clip 76, such as title, description, relevant tags, presenters involved in presenting the audio content from which that clip was obtained, and the name of the show on which that audio content was broadcast.

The clips created in this way are stored in the audio clip storage memory 73 as shown in Figure 1 .

Next, the user can click on the "create" link 108 in order to finalise the creation of the clip 76. On doing so, a further web page 1 10 opens as shown in Figure 13, with a message 1 1 2 confirming that the clip 76 has been created and providing links 1 14 to enable the user to share the created clip with others, for example using social media websites. According to the preferred embodiment shown, the links 1 14 are configured to redirect the web page 1 1 0 to the websites of proprietary social media services, such as Facebook (TM), Google+ (TM), Twitter (TM), or others. The sharing of content in this way is represented at 1 18 within the delivery component 1 6 of the platform 10 as shown in Figure 1 . In addition, the web page 1 1 0 includes a link 1 1 6 to enable the user to elect not to share that content at that time.

According to a preferred embodiment, the process of effecting the sharing of such content is managed by way of a content delivery network such as the proprietary platforms EdgeCast (TM), Akamai (TM) or Amazon Cloud Front (TM), shown at 1 20 as part of the delivery component 1 6 of the platform 10 in Figure 1 .

According to preferred embodiments, content can also be shared by way of embedding suitable code within websites or weblogs (blogs). Such code may be configured to display a widget (such as an HTML 5 embedded widget) on such a website or blog allowing a viewer of that site or blog to simply click on the widget in order to have access to the created clip. This is represented at 122 as part of the delivery component 16 of the platform 1 0 in Figure 1 . Clicking on the widgets causes the relevant contents to be shared in the desired manner from the platform 1 0.

According to a preferred embodiment, the platform 10 is configured to enable broadcasting stations to create customised widgets for their radio stations, at additional cost.

It is also envisaged that the platform website will enable attachment of created audio clips 76 to emails for simple transmission to others, for example on mobile devices (mobile applications) as represented at 1 24 as part of the delivery component 16 of the platform 10 in Figure 1 .

According to a preferred embodiment, all created audio clips 76 will remain stored on the platform 10 in the storage memory 73, and be accessible via the platform website. Thus users will be able to search for clips 76, or browse by station 44, tags or genre. The site will also enable playlists of clips 76 to be created and clips to be organised via suitable web interfaces.

A further feature of the invention according to a preferred embodiment is the provision of an API gateway to the platform 10 to allow radio stations and developers to access audio clips 76 that have been saved on the platform and to use them as audio content on websites and mobile phone applications.

It will be appreciated that using the platform 1 0, the created audio clips 76 can be delivered quickly and reliably to other devices around the world.

Although the invention is described above in relation to preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that it is not limited to those embodiments, but may be embodied in many other forms.

For example, while specific layouts for the various web screens are described by way of example above, other layouts can be used instead. An example is shown in Figure 14, which is a display corresponding in function approximately to the displays of Figures 10, 1 1 and 12, with like reference numerals representing similar features.

Claims

1 . A method of handling audio content, the method including:

1 .1 receiving broadcast audio content from each of a plurality of subscribed broadcasters;

2. A method of handling audio content according to claim 1 including a step before the step 1 .1 , of enabling a plurality of audio content broadcasters to subscribe as said subscribed broadcasters.

3. A method of handling audio content according to claim 2, wherein the step of enabling a plurality of audio content broadcasters to subscribe includes enabling each of said audio content broadcasters to determine respective parameters of the respective audio content broadcaster's subscription.

4. A method of handling audio content according to any one of the preceding claims wherein step 1 .2 includes saving up to a predetermined maximum duration of received broadcast audio content from at least one of the plurality of subscribed broadcasters.

5. A method of handling audio content according to any one of the preceding claims wherein, in step 1 .1 , the received audio content has been broadcast via internet streaming.

6. A method of handling audio content according to any one of the preceding claims wherein step 1 .3 includes providing said access to at least one portion of the saved audio content from each broadcaster according to parameters determined by the respective broadcaster.

7. A method of handling audio content according to any one of the preceding claims wherein step 1 .3 includes enabling each of said plurality of audio consumers to select at least one segment of said at least one portion of the saved audio content from each broadcaster and to create at least one audio clip of at least one of the selected segments.

8. A method of handling audio content according to claim 7 including enabling each of the plurality of audio consumers to select said at least one segment of said at least one portion based on the particular broadcaster by which the respective at least one portion has been broadcast.

9. A method of handling audio content according to claim 7 or claim 8, including the step of enabling each of the plurality of audio consumers to share, with at least one other person, via internet transmission, at least one clip of the at least one clip, the at least one shared clip having been created by the respective audio consumer.

10. A method of handling audio content according to claim 9 including providing a computer platform interface for enabling the plurality of audio consumers to effect said sharing.

1 1 . A computerised platform for handling audio content, the platform including:

12. A computerised platform according to claim 1 1 , including a subscription interface configured for enabling a plurality of audio content broadcasters to subscribe as said subscribed broadcasters.

13. A computerised platform according to claim 1 2 wherein the subscription interface is configured for enabling each of said audio content broadcasters to determine respective parameters of the respective broadcaster's subscription.

14. A computerised platform according to any one of claims 1 1 to 13, wherein the memory component is configured to save up to a predetermined maximum duration of received broadcast audio content from at least one of the plurality of subscribed broadcasters.

15. A computerised platform according to any one of claims 1 1 to 14, wherein the audio input interface is configured to receive broadcast audio content that has been broadcast via internet streaming.

16. A computerised platform according to claim 1 2 or claim 13, the platform being configured to provide said access to the plurality of audio consumers via the consumer interface according to parameters input to the platform by the respective broadcasters via the subscription interface.

17. A computerised platform according to any one of claims 1 1 to 1 6 wherein the consumer interface includes at least one control to enable each of said plurality of audio consumers to select at least one segment of said at least one portion of the saved audio content from each broadcaster and to create at least one audio clip of at least one of the selected segment.

18. A computerised platform according to claim 1 7 wherein the consumer interface includes at least one control to enable each of said plurality of audio consumers to select said at least one segment of said at least one portion based on the particular broadcaster by which the respective at least one portion has been broadcast.

19. A computerised platform according to claim 17 or claim 18, including a sharing interface configured for enabling each of the audio consumers to share, with at least one other person, via internet transmission, at least one of said at least one clip, the at least one shared clip having been created by the respective audio consumer.