Systems and methods for managing electronically delivered information channels

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing electronically delivered information channels are 5 provided. A selection of non-textual category data and a plurality of subscriber interest category data are received from a subscriber. Content associated with the non-textual category data and content associated with the subscriber interest category data are identified. The systems and methods can create a subscriber channel associated with the subscriber. The subscriber channel is configured to provide the content associated with both the non-textual category data and the 10 subscriber interest category data to the subscriber. Through the subscriber channel, the content associated with the non-textual category data can be provided to the subscriber in a first format configured for display on a first device. At substantially the same time, through the subscriber channel, the content associated with the subscriber interest category data to the subscriber in a second format configured for display on a second device can be provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented method for managing electronically delivered information channels, comprising:
 receiving, by a computing device having a channel personalization engine, from one of a first subscriber device associated with a subscriber and a second subscriber device associated with the subscriber, via a computer network and internet connection, a selection of non-textual category data entered by the subscriber via an interface of one of the first subscriber device and the second subscriber device, and a plurality of subscriber interest category data entered by the subscriber via the interface of one of the first subscriber device and the second subscriber device;   identifying content associated with the non-textual category data and content associated with the subscriber interest category data;   creating, by the channel personalization engine, a subscriber channel associated with the subscriber and configured to stream at least a portion of the content associated with the non-textual category data to the subscriber via the computer network and internet connection, and the subscriber channel configured to stream at least a portion of the content associated with the subscriber interest category data to the subscriber via the computer network and internet connection, the subscriber channel including the content associated with the non-textual category data and including the content associated with the subscriber interest category data, wherein the subscriber channel is a customized subscriber channel of the subscriber of the subscriber created by the channel personalization engine at least in part responsive to the non-textual category data entered by the subscriber and the plurality of subscriber interest category data entered by the subscriber;   providing, through the subscriber channel from the channel personalization engine via the computer network and internet connection to the first subscriber device, the content associated with the non-textual category data to the subscriber in a first format configured for display on the first subscriber device; and   providing, through the subscriber channel from the channel personalization engine to the second subscriber device, the content associated with the subscriber interest category data to the subscriber in a second format configured for display on the second subscriber device during a time period of continuous transmission of the content associated with the non-textual category data from the channel personalization engine to the subscriber in the first format configured for display on the first subscriber device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subscriber channel comprises a plurality of subchannels, comprising:
 identifying a plurality of formats compatible with the first subscriber device; and   providing one of the subchannels to the first subscriber device in the first format, wherein the first format is selected from one of the plurality of formats.   
     
     
         3 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 providing, through the subscriber channel, the content associated with the non-textual category data to a plurality of users in the first format; and   providing, through the subscriber channel, the content associated with the subscriber interest category data to the plurality of users in the second format.   
     
     
         4 . The computer implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein the content associated with the non-textual category data includes an audio data file, further comprising:
 executing the audio data file on the first subscriber device.   
     
     
         5 . The computer implemented method of  claim 4 , comprising:
 providing, through the subscriber channel, the content associated with the subscriber interest category data to the subscriber and to the plurality of users in the first format; and   embedding the content associated with the subscriber interest category data within the audio data file.   
     
     
         6 . The computer implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the content associated with the subscriber interest category data is provided to a webpage, further comprising:
 displaying the webpage on the second subscriber device.   
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 receiving, from a plurality of users, a plurality of user interest category data; and   providing, to one of the plurality of users, the content associated with the non-textual category data responsive to an evaluation of the subscriber interest category data and the user interest category data.   
     
     
         9 . The computer implemented method of  claim 8 , comprising:
 linking, in a social network, the subscriber and at least one of the plurality of users.   
     
     
         10 . The computer implemented method of  claim 8 , comprising:
 identifying a plurality of user channels, each associated with one of the plurality of users; and   providing at least one of the plurality of user channels to the subscriber.   
     
     
         11 . The computer implemented method of  claim 10 , comprising:
 receiving a request to link the subscriber with a user associated with at least one of the user channels.   
     
     
         12 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the selection of non-textual category data comprises receiving data identifying at least one of a music genre, an artist, a video, and a song, and wherein receiving the selection of the subscriber interest category data comprises receiving data identifying at least one of a news category, a sports category, an entertainment category, a current event category, a professional interest, and a hobby. 
     
     
         13 .- 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the selection of non-textual category data and the subscriber interest category data, identifying content associated with the non-textual category data and content associated with the subscriber interest category data, creating the subscriber channel, providing the content associated with the non-textual category data, and providing the content associated with the subscriber interest category data are performed at least in part by at least one processor, and wherein the method is implemented at least in part in a program stored in a computer readable medium and executed by one or more of the at least one processors. 
     
     
         19 . In a computer network, a channel personalization engine, comprising:
 A non-transitory data storage unit configured to store non-textual category data received by the data storage unit via the computer network and an internet connection from one of a first subscriber device and a second subscriber device each associated with a subscriber, the non-textual category data entered via an interface of at least one of the first subscriber device and the second subscriber device; and   the data storage unit configured to store subscriber interest category data received via the computer network and internet connection from one of the first subscriber device and the second subscriber device each associated with the subscriber, the subscriber interest category data entered via the interface of at least one of the first subscriber device and the second subscriber device;   the channel personalization engine configured to identify content associated with the non-textual category data and content associated with the subscriber interest category data;   the channel personalization engine further configured to generate a customized subscriber channel for with the subscriber, the customized subscriber channel configured to stream at least a portion of the content associated with the non-textual category data and the content associated with the subscriber interest category data via the computer network and internet connection to at least one of the first subscriber device and the second subscriber device, the customized subscriber channel including the content associated with the non-textual category data and the content associated with the subscriber interest category data;   the channel personalization engine configured to provide, via the customized subscriber channel from the channel personalization engine, the content associated with the non-textual category data in a first format to the first subscriber device; and   the channel personalization engine further configured to provide, via the customized subscriber channel from the channel personalization engine, the content associated with the subscriber interest category data in a second format to the subscriber at least in part during a time period of continuous transmission of the content of the content associated with the non-textual category data from the channel personalization engine and the computer network in the first format to the subscriber.   
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The channel personalization engine of  claim 19 , wherein the channel personalization engine is configured to receive a plurality of user interest category data provided by a user; and wherein
 the channel personalization engine is further configured to provide to the user, via the customized subscriber channel, the content associated with the non-textual category data responsive to an evaluation of the subscriber interest category data and the user interest category data.   
     
     
         22 . The channel personalization engine of  claim 19 , wherein the customized subscriber channel comprises a plurality of subchannels, and wherein the channel personalization engine is configured to identify a plurality of formats compatible with the first subscriber device and to provide one of the subchannels to the first subscriber device in the first format, wherein the first format includes one of the plurality of formats. 
     
     
         23 .- 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The channel personalization engine of  claim 19 , wherein the channel personalization engine is configured to substantially simultaneously transmit, via the customized subscriber channel, the content associated with the non-textual category data in the first format to the first subscriber device, and the content associated with the subscriber interest category data in the second format to the second subscriber device. 
     
     
         28 . The channel personalization engine of  claim 27 , wherein the first subscriber device includes a portable audio device, and wherein the second subscriber device includes at least one of a computer and a personal digital assistant, and wherein content associated with the non-textual category data and the content associated with the subscriber interest category data include data having common subject matter. 
     
     
         29 .- 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 receiving, by the channel personalization engine via the computer network and internet connection from a first user device, data entered into an interface of the first user device including at least one of second non-textual category data and user interest category data, wherein the first user device is a different device than both the first subscriber device and the second subscriber device;   determining, by the channel personalization engine, that a first user associated with the first user device has an interest in a portion of content of the subscriber channel; and   providing access by the first user via the first user device to the portion of content of the subscriber channel.   
     
     
         32 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 restricting access from a first user device to the subscriber channel, wherein the first user device is a different device than both the first subscriber device and the second subscriber device, to a portion of content of the subscriber channel in which a first user associated with the first user device is determined by the channel personalization engine to have the interest.   
     
     
         33 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 simultaneously providing content of the subscriber channel to the subscriber via at least one of the first subscriber device and the second subscriber device, and to a user different than the subscriber via at least one user device.