Method and apparatus for digital media control rooms

• US 10,440,103 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2017
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Garcia-Barrio, Laura
• Primary Examiner(s): Mejia, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US15/489,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20170223416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 709231
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing digital streaming media data to client devices via a digital media control room is described. The method may include receiving a request at a server computer system from a mobile device to join a digital media control room, where the digital media control room is a virtual location that provides access to digital media data of a real-world event captured by a plurality of different mobile devices. The method may also include locating one or more available media streams associated with the digital media control room that capture the real-world event as the real-world event occurs. The method may also include transmitting data indicative of the one or more available media streams to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, at a server computer system and from a user device, a request to locate one or more virtual locations associated with a real-world location and that provides access to digital media data of a real-world event captured by one or more different mobile devices, and wherein the request includes location data specifying a location to search for the virtual locations;

identifying, by the server computer system, one or more virtual locations based on the location;

providing, to the user device from the server computer system, data indicative of the one or more virtual locations;

receiving, at the server computer system and from the user device, a request to join a particular virtual location selected at the user device from among the one or more virtual locations;

locating one or more available media streams associated with the particular virtual location that capture the real-world event as the real-world event occurs; and

transmitting data indicative of the one or more available media streams to the user device;

receiving a request from the user device to access a first media stream from the one or more available media streams associated with the particular virtual location; and

streaming the first media stream associated with the particular virtual location to the user device for display at the user device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the location to search for the virtual location is a location of the user device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein identifying one or virtual locations based on the location comprises:

determining a range specifying a distance; and

identifying one or more virtual locations within the range of the location.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein determining the range comprises:

determining that the location is within a particular venue; and

determining the range based on a size of the particular venue.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein determining the range comprises selecting a pre-defined range.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein determining the range comprises receiving a range specified by a user of the user device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the particular virtual location is associated with a past time.

8. A system, comprising:

a processor and a communication system; and

a memory storing instructions executable by the processor and that upon such execution cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from a user device, a request to locate one or more virtual locations associated with a real-world location and that provides access to digital media data of a real-world event captured by one or more different mobile devices, and wherein the request includes location data specifying a location to search for the virtual locations;

identifying one or more virtual locations based on the location;

providing, to the user device, data indicative of the one or more virtual locations;

receiving, from the user device, a request to join a particular virtual location selected at the user device from among the one or more virtual locations;

locating one or more available media streams associated with the particular virtual location that capture the real-world event as the real-world event occurs; and

transmitting data indicative of the one or more available media streams to the user device;

receiving a request from the user device to access a first media stream from the one or more available media streams associated with the particular virtual location; and

streaming the first media stream associated with the particular virtual location to the user device for display at the user device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the location to search for the virtual location is a location of the user device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein identifying one or virtual locations based on the location comprises:

determining a range specifying a distance; and

identifying one or more virtual locations within the range of the location.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein determining the range comprises:

determining that the location is within a particular venue; and

determining the range based on a size of the particular venue.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein determining the range comprises selecting a pre-defined range.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein determining the range comprises receiving a range specified by a user of the user device.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the particular virtual location is associated with a past time.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a user device, a request to locate one or more virtual locations associated with a real-world location and that provides access to digital media data of a real-world event captured by one or more different mobile devices, and wherein the request includes location data specifying a location to search for the virtual locations;

identifying one or more virtual locations based on the location;

providing, to the user device, data indicative of the one or more virtual locations;

receiving, from the user device, a request to join a particular virtual location selected at the user device from among the one or more virtual locations;

locating one or more available media streams associated with the particular virtual location that capture the real-world event as the real-world event occurs; and

transmitting data indicative of the one or more available media streams to the user device;

receiving a request from the user device to access a first media stream from the one or more available media streams associated with the particular virtual location; and

streaming the first media stream associated with the particular virtual location to the user device for display at the user device.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein identifying one or virtual locations based on the location comprises:

determining a range specifying a distance; and

identifying one or more virtual locations within the range of the location.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein determining the range comprises:

determining that the location is within a particular venue; and

determining the range based on a size of the particular venue.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein determining the range comprises selecting a pre-defined range.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein determining the range comprises receiving a range specified by a user of the user device.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the particular virtual location is associated with a past time.