# US 9,436,962 B2 · Internet radio and broadcast method personalized by genre > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,436,962 B2 - Document ID: US9436962B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/578,076 - Filed: 2014-12-19 - Published: 2015-04-16 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 1999-11-10 - Assignees: Pandora Media, Inc. - Applicants: Pandora Media, Inc. - Inventors: Jeffrey R. Boulter; Todd M. Beaupre - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9436962B2 ## CPC - G06Q 30/0631: {Recommending goods or services} - G06F 3/04817: using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) - G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus - G06F 3/04842: Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) - G06F 3/04847: Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials - G06F 16/4387: {by the use of playlists} - G06F 16/635: Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles - G06F 16/639: {using playlists} - G06F 16/686: {using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, title or artist information, time, location or usage information, user ratings} - G06F 16/9535: Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation - G06F 16/9574: {of access to content, e.g. by caching} - G06F 40/134: Hyperlinking - G06N 5/02: Knowledge representation; Symbolic representation - G06Q 20/123: {Shopping for digital content} - G06Q 30/0282: Rating or review of business operators or products - G06Q 30/0641: {utilising user interfaces specially adapted for shopping} - H04H 60/06: Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services - H04H 60/25: Arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information - H04H 60/46: for recognising users' preferences - H04H 60/66: for using the result on distributors' side - H04H 60/87: accessed over computer networks - H04H 60/88: which are wireless networks - H04L 51/10: Multimedia information - H04L 65/612: for unicast - H04L 67/02: based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP] - H04L 67/10: in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46) - H04L 67/535: {Tracking the activity of the user (network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34)} - H04N 21/4312: {involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations} - H04N 21/443: OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB - H04N 21/4532: {involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences (monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18)} - H04N 21/454: Content {or additional data} filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements - H04N 21/4668: {for recommending content, e.g. movies} - H04N 21/4756: {for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie} - H04N 21/4825: {using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists} - H04N 21/6125: {involving transmission via Internet (transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82)} - H04N 21/6175: {involving transmission via Internet (broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82)} - H04N 21/8113: {comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format} - H04H 20/82: using signals not modulated onto a carrier - H04H 60/82: the transmission system being the Internet - H04L 65/611: for multicast or broadcast (systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06) - H04N 21/4622: {Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet (web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859)} - 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 - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS - H04H: BROADCAST COMMUNICATION (multiplex communication H04J; pictorial communication aspects of broadcast systems H04N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Data streams are generally selected according to user preferences and transmitted to the user in general alignment with expressed preferences of the user. Such data streams may be music, including music videos. Users may indicate their general or specific preferences with regards to song, artists, or albums. Any other aspects or factors that might affect the user's preferences can be taken into account. A playlist is created that combines all of these factors. The playlist then serves as the basis for feeding the data streams to the user. Each user is able to express his or her own preferences and receive music corresponding to those preferences on an on-going basis. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of providing an Internet radio service, comprising: generating, by at least one computer server, a personalized Internet radio station including a selection of songs based on at least one musical preference of a user; transmitting a data stream, by at least one server computer, providing access to songs of the personalized Internet radio station to a client device of the user; and adapting, over time, the selection of songs of the personalized Internet radio station, including: receiving user feedback from the user for songs played on the personalized internet radio station in the form of song ratings for songs played on the personalized Internet radio station; and adjusting the selection of songs based on the received user feedback and on at least one discovery rule to discover at least a minimum rate of new songs that includes at least some songs outside of the at least one musical preference of the user to introduce an element of variety to the personalized Internet radio station. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one discovery rule includes a rule to discovery new songs based on preferences of a community of users. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the community of users is a set of DJs selected by the user. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining a user preference for musical variety and the selection of songs is adjusted based on the determined user preference for musical variety. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one discovery rule includes a rule to select a minimum rate of songs not rated by the user. ### Claim 6 A system for providing an Internet radio service, comprising: at least one computer server configured to generate and host a personalized Internet radio station including a selection of songs based on at least one musical preference of a user and transmit a data stream providing access to songs of the personalized Internet radio station to a client device of the user; and the at least one computer server configured to: receive user feedback from the user for songs played on the personalized internet radio station in the form of song ratings for songs played on the personalized Internet radio station; and adjust the selection of songs based on the received user feedback and on at least one discovery rule to discover at least a minimum rate of new songs that includes at least some songs outside of the at least one musical preference of the user to introduce an element of variety to the personalized Internet radio station. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one discovery rule includes a rule to discovery new songs based on preferences of a community of users. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the community of users is a set of DJs selected by the user. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the system determines a user preference for musical variety and the selection of songs is adjusted based on the determined user preference for musical variety. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one discovery rule includes a rule to select a minimum rate of songs not rated by the user. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one discovery rule includes a rule to discover new songs based on at least one of artist preferences and album preferences of the user. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one discovery rule includes a rule to select a minimum rate of songs not rated by the user. ### Claim 13 A method of providing an Internet radio service, comprising: creating a personalized Internet radio station for a user and storing user profile information for the user that includes at least one musical preference of the user and song ratings of the user for songs played on the personalized Internet radio station; receiving, in at least one server computer, a command to launch the personalized Internet radio station and in response: accessing the user profile information and obtaining the at least one musical preference of the user; accessing the user profile information and obtaining song ratings of the user for songs previously played on the personalized Internet radio station; accessing at least one discovery rule including at least one rule to discover a minimum rate of new songs that includes at least some songs outside of the at least one musical preference of the user; launching the personalized Internet radio station and selecting songs based on the at least one musical preference of the user, the song ratings of the user, and the at least one discovery rule; and transmitting a data stream, by the at least one server computer, providing access to songs of the personalized Internet radio station to a client device of the user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the user profile includes a discovery preference selected by the user from at least two different discovery preferences including a first discovery preference to decrease a rate of the discovery of new music relative to a default setting and a second discovery preference to increase a rate of the discovery of new music relative to the default setting. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one discovery rule includes at least one rule to discover new music based on an artist rating. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one discovery rule includes at least one rule to discover new music based on an album rating. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one discovery rule includes at least one rule to discovery new music based on preferences of a community of users. ### Claim 18 A system for providing an Internet radio service, comprising: at least one server computer configured to: create a personalized Internet radio station for a user and storing user profile information for the user that includes at least one musical preference of the user and song ratings of the user for songs played on the personalized Internet radio station; receive a command to launch the personalized Internet radio station and in response: access the user profile information and obtaining the at least one musical preference of the user; access the user profile information and obtaining song ratings of the user for songs previously played on the personalized Internet radio station; access at least one discovery rule including at least one rule to discover a minimum rate of new songs that includes at least some songs outside of the at least one musical preference of the user; launch the personalized Internet radio station and selecting songs based on the at least one musical preference of the user, the song ratings of the user, and the at least one discovery rule; and transmit a data stream, by the at least one server computer, providing access to songs of the personalized Internet radio station to a client device of the user. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the user profile includes a discovery preference selected by the user from at least two different discovery preferences including a first discovery preference to decrease a rate of the discovery of new music relative to a default setting and a second discovery preference to increase a rate of the discovery of new music relative to the default setting. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18 wherein the at least one discovery rule includes at least one rule to discover new music based on an artist rating. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one discovery rule includes at least one rule to discover new music based on an album rating. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one discovery rule includes at least one rule to discovery new music based on preferences of a community of users.