WO2001074010A1

WO2001074010A1 - Digital transmission system

Info

Publication number: WO2001074010A1
Application number: PCT/AU2001/000352
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert John Joseph Lynch
Original assignee: Adfile Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2000-03-29
Filing date: 2001-03-29
Publication date: 2001-10-04
Also published as: AUPQ655200A0

Abstract

A method of automatic distribution of audio data and associated visual and/or textual data to a plurality of receiver locations, the method comprising the steps of: (a) producing the audio data and associated visual and/or textual data in a digital form for storage on a digital storage medium; (b) manipulating the audio data and associated visual and/or textual data into a single file structure; (c) providing a first interactive application for determining the plurality of receiver locations from a large collection of receiver locations; (d) dispatching the single file structure over a communications network to the plurality of receiver locations; (e) at each of the plurality of receiver locations: (i) providing an application for decoding the single file structure into its constituent the audio data and associated visual and/or textual data; and (ii) providing a second interactive application for playing the audio data and viewing the visual and/or textual data.

Description

DIGITAL TRANSMISSION SYSTEM

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a convenient distribution system for audio and video data to a number of locations for later playback. Background of the invention

The music industry relies heavily upon the presentation of new music to radio stations for playback by the radio station to "break" new artists and records to an audience. The audience, upon initial listening to music via a radio station or the like, is more likely to then acquire music in the form of compact discs (CDs), tapes etc from local record shops or Internet providers.

As a result, radio stations are often flooded with "new music packs" containing a CD of a new music single in addition to associated promotional material such as videos and printed matter in relation to an artist. Further, music distributors often have to send out these packages to multiple radio stations across a country which substantially increases the complexity and opportunities for error in the distribution process.

It will be highly desirable if an alternative form of audio data distribution system was available.

Summary of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative form of audio data distribution system.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of and system for automatic distribution of audio data and associated visual and/or textual data to a plurality of receiver locations, the method comprising the steps of: (a) producing the audio data and associated visual and/or textual data in a digital form for storage on a digital storage medium; (b) manipulating the audio data and associated visual and/or textual data into a single file structure; (c) providing a first interactive application for determining the plurality of receiver locations from a large collection of receiver locations; (d) dispatching the single file structure over a communications network to the plurality of receiver locations; (e) at each of the plurality of receiver locations: (i) providing an application for decoding the single file structure into its constituent the audio data and associated visual and/or textual data; and (ii) providing a second interactive application for playing the audio data and viewing the visual and/or textual data.

The plurality of receiver locations are preferably located in radio stations, pay TV and TV stations.

The step (e) further can comprise the step of: (iii) providing a means for forwarding the audio data to the on-air radio station system for playback of the audio data by the radio station.

The audio data can comprise at least one wave file and the associated visual and/or textual data can comprise at least one of a MPEG video file, a JPEG image or an RTF file. In one example embodiment, the audio comprises a musical song. The associated visual data can include an Album cover.

The communications network can comprise a satellite network.

Brief description of the drawings

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

Fig. 1 illustrates schematically the process of creating a MSP file;

Fig. 2 illustrates an example screen shot of a MSP creation application;

Fig. 3 illustrates a flow chart of the core portions of the MSP creator application;

Fig. 4 illustrates an example screen shot of the traffic instruction application; Fig. 5 illustrates a flow chart of the core portions of the traffic instruction application;

Fig. 6 illustrates schematically the dispatch process;

Fig. 7 illustrates a flow chart of the core portions of the downloading application;

Fig. 8 illustrates an example screen shot of the downloading application;

Fig. 9 illustrates schematically a distribution network; Fig. 10 illustrates schematically the process of MSP reception and processing a remote site;

Fig. 11 illustrates a flow chart of the core portions of a remote application; and Fig. 12 illustrates an example screen shot of a MSP player.

Detailed description of the embodiments

In the preferred embodiment, a distribution system is provided which allows for a "music single package" (MSP) to be created which contains, in a digital form, a music track and associated video, graphic and textual information. The music single package is then distributed to a large array of radio stations automatically. The radio stations are able to review the music single packages on a desktop computer, or the like, placed within the radio station. The music single package (MSP) can be created from a number of parts. The initial creation process for creating a single MSP is illustrated in Fig. 1 wherein an audio copy of the CD, an associated video tape 3, CD cover image 4 and associated information 5 is digitised into corresponding standard files structures such as, a wave file structure 8, MPEG video file 9, and JPEG image files 10. Similarly, other promotional information is formatted into a rich text format (RTF) file 12 utilising standard desktop publishing applications 13. Together this information is combined utilising an MSP creator application 13 and stored as an MSP file 15. Turning to Fig. 2, there is illustrated one form of interface for the MSP creator application 13. The interface includes the formation of an example MSP file entitled "DRT8". The MSP file 20 includes an audio track 21, MPEG video 22, album cover image 23 and RTF file 24 in addition to other information. Further, a database record 26 is also created containing brief details about the package track. Turning now to Fig. 3, there is illustrated the steps involved in the creation of an MSP by the MSP creator application. The steps are based around a core monitor action unit 40 which awaits I/O events including actions such as selecting and adding components 41, previewing MSP components 42 and creating and uploading an MSP file 43.

The next step in the preferred embodiment after creation of an MSP file application is to upload the MSP file to various radio stations. Preferably, this step is carried out by a traffic instruction application which includes an interface such as that disclosed in Fig. 4 which provides a list of radio stations and associated check boxes for uploading. In this manner, a determination is made of which radio stations to which an uploading should take place. The flow of control in the traffic instruction application can be as illustrated in Fig. 5 wherein, for a particular selected customer 60, a list of available singles is determined 61 and a selection process 62 undertaken to determine which singles should be sent to that customer. The destination is then assigned to the singles 63 and the traffic instructions saved 64 before being sent 65.

Subsequently, the MSP files are dispatched to each radio station using a process initially illustrated in Fig. 6. The traffic instructions are sorted by radio station so as to determine the group of MSP's which must be sent to each station. The group of MSP file pointers is stored in an envelope file 70 and a dispatch order queue is also stored 71. The application determines from the dispatch queue 71 each MSP file within an envelope file 70 and downloads the MSP file 74 to a communications repository network 75. The steps involved in the download application are illustrated in Fig. 7. The downland application scans the dispatch queue for new entries 80. Upon detecting a new entry, a connection is open to a satellite server 81 and the MSP file and envelope file 82 is transferred to 82 before the connection is closed 83. Various preview information can be provided for the download process with Fig. 8 illustrating an example screen illustrating a download in progress. Whilst many different forms of interconnection networks can be provided, preferably, downloading takes place by means of satellite links between radio stations and a central delivery server. By way of example, Fig. 9 provides a schematic illustration of one form of download by a delivery server and a receiving site 91 connected by satellite links e.g. 92. Alternatively, other forms of interconnects such as ISDN links 93 can be provided. At the receiving radio station, the received MSP file is decoded into its constituent parts for utilisation by a music single playback application. An example of the MSP reception and processing is illustrated in Fig. 10 wherein a received MSP file 100 is decoded into its constituent parts' 101 -104 by a remote commander application 106. An example control flow diagram for a remote commander application 106 is illustrated in Fig. 1 1 and includes an initial loop 108 which awaits for the receipt of an MSP file in the repository. Upon detecting an MSP and checking if enough room exists for its decoding, the MSP is decoded 109 before being added to the player database and a notification of arrival and confirmation produced 110.

Returning to Fig. 10, the Music Single Player application provides facilities for playing songs and printing or storing 114 portions of the MSP. Additionally, the wave file can be forwarded to an on air system 1 13 for playback on demand. In Fig. 12, there is provided an example screen shot of the Music Single Player application which includes playback facilities 120, album cover 121, artist display information 122 and basic single details 123.

It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute vai'ious alternative aspects of the invention.

The foregoing describes embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art can be made thereto, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of automatic distribution of audio data and associated visual and/or textual data to a plurality of receiver locations, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) producing said audio data and associated visual and/or textual data in a digital form for storage on a digital storage medium;

(b) manipulating said audio data and associated visual and/or textual data into a single file structure;

(c) providing a first interactive application for determining said plurality of receiver locations from a large collection of receiver locations; (d) dispatching said single file structure over a communications network to said plurality of receiver locations;

(e) at each of said plurality of receiver locations:

(i) providing an application for decoding said single file structure into its constituent said audio data and associated visual and/or textual data; and (ii) providing a second interactive application for playing said audio data and viewing said visual and/or textual data.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plurality of receiver locations are located in radio stations.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said step (e) further comprises the step: (iii) providing a means for forwarding said audio data to anW on-air radio station system for playback of said audio data by said radio station.

4. A method as claimed in any previous claim wherein said audio data comprises at least one wave file and said associated visual and/or textual data comprises at least one of a MPEG video file, a JPEG image or an RTF file.

5. A method as claimed in any previous claim wherein said audio data comprises a single musical song.

6. A method as claimed in any previous claim wherein said associated visual data includes an Album cover.

7. A method as claimed in any previous claim wherein said communications network comprises a satellite network.

8. A system when implementing the method of any of claims 1 to 7.

9. A method of automatically distributing audio data and associated visual and/or textual information substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. A system of automatically distributing audio data and associated visual and/or textual information substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.