System and method for providing broadcast

Abstract

A media player for playing broadcast material and associated supplemental information includes a receiver configured to receive broadcast material from a broadcast service provider. The broadcast material includes program segments and program data related to one or more of said program segments. The player plays program segments of said received broadcast material on a user's terminal. An information retrieval module forwards an item of program data related to a given one of the program segments to a first server enabling the server to retrieve parameters identifying one or more items of supplemental material for said given program segment. The information retrieval module forwards the parameters to a second server to retrieve supplemental materials from said second server based on the parameters, and providesteh supplemental materials to the player for playback with a given program segment of broadcast material.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A history window associated with a media player, comprising 
 a window element configured to display an item of supplemental information related to a previously broadcast program segment; and    an identification associated with said window element identifying additional supplemental information related to said previously broadcast program segment;    wherein said media player is configured to use said identification to retrieve said additional supplemental information upon selection by a user.    
     
     
         2 . The history window of  claim 1 , wherein said identification is program data associated with said broadcast program segment.  
     
     
         3 . The history window of  claim 1 , wherein said window element is one of a plurality of window elements arranged in chronological order on a screen of said media player.  
     
     
         4 . The history window of  claim 1 , wherein said additional supplemental information is stored locally on a user terminal.  
     
     
         5 . The history window of  claim 1 , wherein said additional supplemental information is retrieved from a data server.  
     
     
         6 . The history window of  claim 1 , wherein said additional supplemental information is stored on said server.  
     
     
         7 . The history window of  claim 1 , wherein said additional supplemental information is stored on a second server, and an identification of said supplemental information is stored on said data server.  
     
     
         8 . The history window of  claim 3 , further comprising a scroll bar enabling scrolling through a plurality of window elements in response to user input.  
     
     
         9 . The history window of  claim 3 , wherein said identification is stored in one of a circular buffer, a LIFO, or a FIFO.  
     
     
         10 . The history window of  claim 1 , wherein said additional supplemental information includes an advertiser coupon.  
     
     
         11 . The history window of  claim 1 , wherein said item of supplemental information comprises at least one of an album image or an advertiser's impression.  
     
     
         12 . The history window of  claim 1 , wherein said additional supplemental information is provided for playback by the media player.  
     
     
         13 . The history window of  claim 1 , wherein said broadcast material is a radio program.  
     
     
         14 . A method for providing a history of broadcast material, comprising: 
 displaying an item of supplemental information in a window element, said supplemental information related to a previously broadcast program segment; and    providing an identification associated with said window element, said identification identifying additional supplemental information related to said previously broadcast program segment;    wherein said media player is configured to use said identification to retrieve said additional supplemental information upon selection by a user.    
     
     
         15 . The history window of  claim 1 , wherein said identification is program data associated with said broadcast program segment.  
     
     
         16 . The history window of  claim 1 , wherein said window element is one of a plurality of window elements arranged in chronological order on a screen of said media player.  
     
     
         17 . The history window of  claim 1 , wherein said additional supplemental information is stored locally on a user terminal.  
     
     
         18 . The history window of  claim 1 , wherein said additional supplemental information is retrieved from a data server.  
     
     
         19 . The history window of  claim 1 , wherein said additional supplemental information is stored on said server.  
     
     
         20 . The history window of  claim 1 , wherein said additional supplemental information is stored on a second server, and an identification of said supplemental information is stored on said data server.  
     
     
         21 . The history window of  claim 1 , wherein said additional supplemental information includes an advertiser coupon.  
     
     
         22 . The history window of  claim 1 , wherein said item of supplemental information comprises at least one of an album image or an advertiser's impression.