Streaming radio with personalized content integration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10445365-B2
Application number	US-201715831205-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2017
Priority date	Dec 4, 2017
Publication date	Oct 15, 2019
Grant date	Oct 15, 2019

Abstract

In various embodiments, an audio streaming service may provide a plurality of channels. On a particular channel, different types of content can be streamed to audio devices connected to that channel, including channel content, group content, and individual content. Channel content refers to same content that is streamed to all of the audio devices that are connected to the channel. Group channel refers to content that is selected for subgroups of the devices, and individual content refers to content that is selected for an individual device. Channel content may be transmitted to all the devices, then a period of group or individual content is provided, and then the devices are synced back into receiving the same channel content during a syncing window. Listeners can also interact with the content, such as skipping songs or adding songs to their personal collection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
at least one computing device processor; and
a memory device including instructions that, when executed by the at least one computing device processor, cause the system to:
receive respective user profiles associated with a plurality of client devices connected to an audio streaming channel, the user profiles including respective user affinities;
transmit first channel content to the plurality of client devices within a first syncing time window, the channel content being the same for all of the plurality of client devices;
identify, from the plurality of client devices, a first group of client devices having a first shared affinity;
transmit a first data stream including first group content to the first group following transmission of the first channel content to the first group;
identify, from the plurality of client devices, a second group of client devices having a second shared affinity;
transmit a second data stream to the second group following transmission of the first channel content, the second data stream distinct from the first data stream and including the second group content, the second group content different from the first group content; and
transmit second channel content to first group following the first group content and to the second group following the second group content, the second channel content being the same for all of the plurality of client devices and transmitted to the plurality of client devices within a second syncing time window.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the system to:
provide individual content to an individual client device of the plurality of client devices, the individual content determined based at least in part on a user profile associated with the individual client device.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the system to:
receive a user input from a client device of the plurality of client devices to skip a portion of content; and
replace a skipped portion of content with new content, the new content selected from a database of content associated with the audio streaming channel or from a collection of content associated with a user account associated with the client device.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the system to:
receive a user input from a client device of the plurality of client devices to add a song to a user account associated with the client device, the song being a portion of the first channel content or the first group content playing on the client device.

5. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
providing channel content to a plurality of client devices within a first period of time;
identifying one or more attributes associated with a first client device of the plurality of client devices;
determining first personalized content for the first client device based at least in part on the one or more attributes associated with the first client device;
transmitting a first data stream to the first client device, the first data stream including the first personalized content;
identifying one or more attributes associated with a second client device of the plurality of client devices;
determining second personalized content for the second client device based at least in part on the one or more attributes associated with the second client device, the second personalized content different from the first personalized content;
transmitting a second data stream to the second client device, the second data stream distinct from the first data stream and including the second personalized content; and
providing, within a second period of time, additional channel content to the first client device following the first personalized content and to the second client device following the second personalized content.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the channel content is provided to the plurality of client devices at the same time or at respective offsets within the first period of time.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the channel content includes a data stream of live content, pre-recorded content, listener-generated content received through the first client device, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the channel content includes audio commentary or songs selected for all of the plurality of client devices, wherein the first personalized content includes audio commentary or songs selected for the first client device, and wherein the second personalized content includes audio commentary or songs selected for the second client device.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first client device is one of a first group of client devices associated with one or more shared attributes, the first group of client devices being provided the first personalized content.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first personalized content is selected from a database of content associated with an audio streaming channel or from a collection of content associated with a user account of the first client device.

11. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
receiving a user input from the first client device; and
changing content provided to the first client device based on the user input.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
wherein the user input includes a request to skip at least a portion of the channel content or the first personalized content.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
providing a recommendation to the client device to change to a different channel upon receiving a threshold number requests to skip content.

14. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
receiving a user input from the first client device, the user input including a request to add a currently playing content item to a user account associated with the first client device.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the user input is derived from a voice input received by a voice communication component of the first client device.

16. The method of claim 5 , wherein the one or more attributes associated with the first client device includes at least one of: a user-defined or machine-learned affinity, a geographic location, or historical interaction behavior.

17. A system, comprising:
at least one computing device processor; and
a memory device including instructions that, when executed by the at least one computing device processor, cause the system to:
provide channel content to a plurality of client devices within a first period of time;
identify one or more attributes associated with a first client device of the plurality of client devices;
determine first personalized content for the first client device based at least in part on the one or more attributes associated with the first client device;
transmit a first data stream to the first client device, the first data stream including the first personalized content;
identifying one or more attributes associated with a second client device of the plurality of client devices;
determine second personalized content for the second client device based at least in part on the one or more attributes associated with the second client device, the second personalized content different from the first personalized content;
transmit a second data stream to the second client device, the second data stream distinct from the first data stream and including the second personalized content; and
provide, within a second period of time, additional chann

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Luke Alexander
• Hobbs Tyler

Classifications

• G06F3/165

  Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path · CPC title

• G06F16/635

  Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles · CPC title

• H04H60/61

  Arrangements for services using the result of monitoring, identification or recognition covered by groups H04H60/29-H04H60/54 · CPC title

• H04H60/12

  wherein another information is substituted for the portion of broadcast information · CPC title

• G06F16/68

  Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually · CPC title