# US 12,001,473 B2 · Selecting shots for scheduling > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,001,473 B2 - Document ID: US12001473B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/588,419 - Filed: 2022-01-31 - Published: 2022-05-19 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2011-10-07 - Assignees: iHeartMedia Management Services, Inc. - Applicants: iHeartMedia Management Services, Inc. - Inventors: Nigel Attwell; Chris Bean - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12001473B2 ## CPC - G06F 16/41: Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures - G06F 16/2228: {Indexing structures} - G06F 16/24578: {using ranking} - G06F 16/4387: {by the use of playlists} - G06Q 10/1093: Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups - H04H 60/06: Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services - 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)} - H04N 21/84: Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors {(systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73)} - H04H 60/47: for recognising genres - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04H: BROADCAST COMMUNICATION (multiplex communication H04J; pictorial communication aspects of broadcast systems H04N) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A method for use in an automated media scheduling system includes generating a shots representing potential playlists of media items. Each of the shots includes multiple shot positions. A shot-position-dependent score of a current content item being considered for insertion into a particular shot position of a particular shot is generated, and indicates how closely the current content item conforms to a predetermined set of factors associated with the particular shot position of the particular shot. The current content item is inserted into the particular shot position of the particular shot based, at least in part on a comparison of the shot-position-dependent score of the current content item with shot-position-dependent scores of other content items, and the shot positions of each of the shots are populated with eligible content items. One of the shots is selected for scheduling based on aggregate scores of eligible content associated with each individual shot. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for use in an automated media scheduling system including a processor and associated memory, the method comprising: generating a plurality of shots representing potential playlists of media items, wherein, each of the plurality of shots includes a plurality of shot positions; generating a shot-position-dependent score of a current content item being considered for insertion into a particular shot position of a particular shot, wherein: the shot-position-dependent score of the current content item indicates how closely the current content item conforms to a predetermined set of factors associated with the particular shot position of the particular shot; inserting the current content item into the particular shot position of the particular shot based, at least in part on a comparison of the shot-position-dependent score of the current content item with shot-position-dependent scores of other content items; populating the plurality of shot positions of each of the plurality of shots with eligible content items; and selecting one of the plurality of shots based on aggregate scores of eligible content associated with each individual shot. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: identifying content items eligible for insertion into the particular shot position based, at least in part, on an index value associated with the particular shot position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein identifying content items eligible for insertion into the particular shot position further includes: determining that a relative rank of the current content item with respect to other content items being considered for placement in the particular shot position satisfies the index value associated with the particular shot position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: scoring the eligible content items relative to other content items eligible for insertion into the particular shot position; and associating content index values to the eligible content items. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: assigning position index values to individual shot positions, wherein position index values assigned to positions in particular shots form a unique sequences of index values. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: aggregating shot-position-dependent scores of eligible content items placed in shot positions associated with each individual shot to generate composite shot scores. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising: generating a shot-score comparison; and generating a broadcast schedule based on the shot-score comparison. ### Claim 8 A non-transitory computer-readable medium tangibly embodying a program of computer executable instructions including: at least one instruction to generate a plurality of shots representing potential playlists of media items, wherein, each of the plurality of shots includes a plurality of shot positions; at least one instruction to generate a shot-position-dependent score of a current content item being considered for insertion into a particular shot position of a particular shot, wherein: the shot-position-dependent score of the current content item indicates how closely the current content item conforms to a predetermined set of factors associated with the particular shot position of the particular shot; at least one instruction to insert the current content item into the particular shot position of the particular shot based, at least in part on a comparison of the shot-position-dependent score of the current content item with shot-position-dependent scores of other content items; at least one instruction to populate the plurality of shot positions of each of the plurality of shots with eligible content items; and at least one instruction to select one of the plurality of shots based on aggregate scores of eligible content associated with each individual shot. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising: at least one instruction to identify content items eligible for insertion into the particular shot position based, at least in part, on an index value associated with the particular shot position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein identifying content items eligible for insertion into the particular shot position further includes: at least one instruction to determine that a relative rank of the current content item with respect to other content items being considered for placement in the particular shot position satisfies the index value associated with the particular shot position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising: at least one instruction to score the eligible content items relative to other content items eligible for insertion into the particular shot position; and at least one instruction to associate content index values to the eligible content items. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising: at least one instruction to assign position index values to individual shot positions, wherein position index values assigned to positions in particular shots form a unique sequences of index values. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising: at least one instruction to aggregate shot-position-dependent scores of eligible content items placed in shot positions associated with each individual shot to generate composite shot scores. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising: at least one instruction to generate a shot-score comparison; and at least one instruction to generate a broadcast schedule based on the shot-score comparison. ### Claim 15 A processing system comprising: a processor; memory coupled to the processor; a program of instructions stored in the memory and executed by the processor, the program of instructions including: at least one instruction to generate a plurality of shots representing potential playlists of media items, wherein, each of the plurality of shots includes a plurality of shot positions; at least one instruction to generate a shot-position-dependent score of a current content item being considered for insertion into a particular shot position of a particular shot, wherein: the shot-position-dependent score of the current content item indicates how closely the current content item conforms to a predetermined set of factors associated with the particular shot position of the particular shot; at least one instruction to insert the current content item into the particular shot position of the particular shot based, at least in part on a comparison of the shot-position-dependent score of the current content item with shot-position-dependent scores of other content items; at least one instruction to populate the plurality of shot positions of each of the plurality of shots with eligible content items; and at least one instruction to select one of the plurality of shots based on aggregate scores of eligible content associated with each individual shot. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The processing system of claim 15, further comprising: at least one instruction to identify content items eligible for insertion into the particular shot position based, at least in part, on an index value associated with the particular shot position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The processing system of claim 16, wherein identifying content items eligible for insertion into the particular shot position further includes: at least one instruction to determine that a relative rank of the current content item with respect to other content items being considered for placement in the particular shot position satisfies the index value associated with the particular shot position. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The processing system of claim 16, further comprising: at least one instruction to score the eligible content items relative to other content items eligible for insertion into the particular shot position; and at least one instruction to associate content index values to the eligible content items. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The processing system of claim 15, further comprising: at least one instruction to assign position index values to individual shot positions, wherein position index values assigned to positions in particular shots form a unique sequences of index values. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The processing system of claim 15, further comprising: at least one instruction to aggregate shot-position-dependent scores of eligible content items placed in shot positions associated with each individual shot to generate composite shot scores; at least one instruction to generate a shot-score comparison; and at least one instruction to generate a broadcast schedule based on the shot-score comparison.