# US 10,313,724 B1 · Media-broadcasting system with broadcast schedule simulation feature > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,313,724 B1 - Document ID: US10313724B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 15/955,390 - Filed: 2018-04-17 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-22 - Assignees: Tribune Broadcasting Company, LLC - Applicants: Tribune Broadcasting Company, LLC - Inventors: Scott Allan Propst; Dana A. Lasher - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10313724B1 ## CPC - H04N 21/26258: {for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list (retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40)} - H04H 20/10: Arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or the distribution - H04H 20/103: {Transmitter-side switching} - H04H 20/12: Arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting - H04N 21/233: Processing of audio elementary streams {(monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58)} - H04N 21/23424: {involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement} - H04N 21/2407: {Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads (arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14)} - H04N 21/8106: {involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages} - H04N 21/812: {involving advertisement data (advertising per se G06Q30/02)} - H04N 21/8133: {specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video programme} - H04N 21/8456: {by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H04H: BROADCAST COMMUNICATION (multiplex communication H04J; pictorial communication aspects of broadcast systems H04N) ## Abstract In one aspect, an example method includes (i) accessing, by a computing system, a broadcast schedule, which indicates that a broadcast of a first media content item is scheduled to be followed by a broadcast of a second media content item, wherein the computing system can operate in a schedule mode or a breakout mode; (ii) switching from operating in the schedule mode to operating in the breakout mode; and (iii) while operating in the breakout mode: (a) simulating a broadcast of the first media content item; (b) making a determination that a particular signal is embedded in the first media content item; (c) responsive to making the determination, simulating a switch from broadcasting the first media content item to broadcasting the second media content item; (d) based on the simulated broadcast of the first and second media content items, generating a simulation log; and (e) presenting the generated log. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: accessing, by a computing system, a broadcast schedule, which indicates that a broadcast of a first media content item is scheduled to be followed by a broadcast of a second media content item, wherein the computing system is configured for operating in a schedule mode or a breakout mode, wherein when operating in the schedule mode, the computing system performs an act that facilitates broadcasting a media content item scheduled in the broadcast schedule, and wherein when operating in the breakout mode, the computing system performs an act that facilitates broadcasting a media content item that is not scheduled in the broadcast schedule; operating, by the computing system, in a breakout mode; and while the computing system operates in the breakout mode: simulating, by the computing system, a broadcast of the first media content item; making, by the computing system, a determination that a particular signal is embedded in the first media content item; and responsive to making the determination, simulating, by the computing system, a switch from broadcasting the first media content item to broadcasting the second media content item. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the computing system is a sequencing system component of a media-broadcasting system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second media content item is a commercial, and wherein the particular signal is a commercial roll signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the commercial roll signal is an audio tone. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the broadcast schedule indicates that the commercial is associated with a manual start-time type. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: based on the simulated broadcast of the first and second media content items, generating, by the computing system, a simulation log, wherein the generated simulation log identifies the first and second media content items. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising: presenting, by the computing system, the generated simulation log, wherein presenting the generated simulation log comprises displaying the generated simulation log. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising: selecting, by the computing system, an item in the presented simulation log; and while the computing system operates in the breakout mode: performing, by the computing system, an act that facilitates broadcasting a media content item associated with the selected item. ### Claim 9 A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that upon execution by a processor, cause performance of a set of acts comprising: accessing, by a computing system, a broadcast schedule, which indicates that a broadcast of a first media content item is scheduled to be followed by a broadcast of a second media content item, wherein the computing system is configured for operating in a schedule mode or a breakout mode, wherein when operating in the schedule mode, the computing system performs an act that facilitates broadcasting a media content item scheduled in the broadcast schedule, and wherein when operating in the breakout mode, the computing system performs an act that facilitates broadcasting a media content item that is not scheduled in the broadcast schedule; operating, by the computing system, in a breakout mode; and while the computing system operates in the breakout mode: simulating, by the computing system, a broadcast of the first media content item; making, by the computing system, a determination that a particular signal is embedded in the first media content item; and responsive to making the determination, simulating, by the computing system, a switch from broadcasting the first media content item to broadcasting the second media content item. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the computing system is a sequencing system component of a media-broadcasting system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the second media content item is a commercial, and wherein the particular signal is a commercial roll signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the commercial roll signal is an audio tone. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the broadcast schedule indicates that the commercial is associated with a manual start-time type. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, the set of acts further comprising: based on the simulated broadcast of the first and second media content items, generating, by the computing system, a simulation log, wherein the generated simulation log identifies the first and second media content items. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, the set of acts further comprising: presenting, by the computing system, the generated simulation log, wherein presenting the generated simulation log comprises displaying the generated simulation log. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, the set of acts further comprising: selecting, by the computing system, an item in the presented simulation log; and while the computing system operates in the breakout mode: performing, by the computing system, an act that facilitates broadcasting a media content item associated with the selected item. ### Claim 17 A computing system comprising: a processor, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that upon execution by the processor, cause performance of a set of acts comprising: accessing, by the computing system, a broadcast schedule, which indicates that a broadcast of a first media content item is scheduled to be followed by a broadcast of a second media content item, wherein the computing system is configured for operating in a schedule mode or a breakout mode, wherein when operating in the schedule mode, the computing system performs an act that facilitates broadcasting a media content item scheduled in the broadcast schedule, and wherein when operating in the breakout mode, the computing system performs an act that facilitates broadcasting a media content item that is not scheduled in the broadcast schedule; operating, by the computing system, in a breakout mode; and while the computing system operates in the breakout mode: simulating, by the computing system, a broadcast of the first media content item; making, by the computing system, a determination that a particular signal is embedded in the first media content item; and responsive to making the determination, simulating, by the computing system, a switch from broadcasting the first media content item to broadcasting the second media content item. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The computing system of claim 17, wherein the second media content item is a commercial, and wherein the particular signal is a commercial roll signal. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The computing system of claim 18, wherein the commercial roll signal is an audio tone. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The computing system of claim 18, wherein the broadcast schedule indicates that the commercial is associated with a manual start-time type.